Mitoy: I wanted to become a cop because of FPJ
MANILA - Veteran singer Mitoy Yonting admitted that one of his inspirations as a singer is Journey frontman Arnel Pineda.
"Sabi ko nga, si senior Arnel (Pineda), isa siya sa inspirasyon ko para tumuloy [sa pagkanta]. Kasi 40 na siya o 41 nang makuha siya ng Journey. Noong makuha siya, sabi ko may YouTube palang ganyan. So nag-rent ako ng isang studio sa Cubao para makapag-upload ng kanta ko din. Na-inspire ako sa pangyayaring 'yon sa kanya, 'so may chance pa pala,' sabi ko. Parang may chance pa basta tuluy-tuloy lang. Malaking tulong 'yon para magbigay sa akin ng boost ulit," Yonting said in his guesting on "Headstart" hosted by Karen Davila.
Now, that he finally made it, Yonting, the grand winner of "The Voice of the Philippines," vowed that he would continue doing what he does best.
"Itutuloy ko lang naman 'yung ginagawa ko na din, mas dadami lang siguro o mas lalawak pa 'yung gagawin ko. Kung ibibigay ng Diyos na makakanta pa ako ng mga hanggang 20 years pa, why not? Basta gagawin ko lang yung ginagawa ko na nagustuhan sa akin ng mga tao," he said.
First dream
In his guesting, Yonting looks back on his life before he started his singing career.
Before becoming a professional singer, Yonting that his first dream was to become a cop.
"Pulis. Ang maglingkod. Noong time na 'yon noong kabataan ko, si FPJ ang idol ko, si Fernando Poe Jr. Talaga 'yung movie niya, 'yung tagapagligtas at tumutulong sa mga naapi, [naisip ko] parang ang sarap gayahin nito, Siyempre bata pa ako, parang ang sarap tumulong sa tao," he recalled.
To pursue his dream of becoming a cop, Yonting took up criminology.
"Nag-aral ako ng BS Criminology sa PCCR. Three months, nagsabay lang sila ng singing career. Kasi parang ang pogi-pogi mo kapag working student ka, masipag itong batang ito. Kaya lang nanaig na 'yung pagod at kumita ng pera kaysa doon sa pag-aaral. So ginive up ko 'yung pagiging pulis, nag-pursue ako sa karera ko," Yonting said.
The singer said he started to work when he was only 13 as as a jeepney fare collector. He then tried a number of odd jobs.
When he was 18, he was offered to be part of a band.
"Ako 'yung nasa kanan ng driver at ako ang tagaabot ng [bayad], sa jeep lang ako. Pagkatapos ko ng high school, pumasok akong pahinante sa printing press na pinapasukan ng tatay ko. Three months, three months lang 'yon, tapos hahanap ulit ako, diskarte, mayroong mga lipat bahay doon, nagpapahinante din ako. Kapag Manila P35, kapag province P75, ganoon ang presyuhan noong may pagkain naman para ka lang namamasyal. Tapos steelworks, helper din ako doon, ako ang alalay ng gumagawa. Tapos noong mag-aaral na ulit, ako may kumuha sa aking banda na kailangan daw nila ng singer. Sabi ko ,'sige, subukan ko.' Araw-araw ang tugtog, mga 18 ako noon," he said.
Drug use
As a teenager and as a band singer during the 80s, Yonting admitted that he has tried using illegal drugs.
"Oo nadaanan ko 'yon. Napaka-plastik naman kung hindi ko sabihing nadaanan. Nadaanan pero hindi ko minahal. Sa amin kasing entertainer noon, libre 'yon, hindi mo na bibilhin. Kung gusto mo, napakadaling gawin, madami ang nag-aalok," he said.
Yonting said he eventually realized that illegal drugs is not good for him. He said it was his dreams that got him back on track and made him focus on his work as a singer.
"Siguro 'yung mangarap, magandang puhunan 'yon, yung mangarap talaga. Sabi ko nga, hindi madaling abutin ang pangarap mo, bawat tao may pangarap basta doon ka lagi, malihis ka man balikan mo lang lagi. Kung back to zero ibalik mo ang sarili mo sa gusto mong mangyari. 'Yun ang nangyari sa akin kaya siguro napunta ako dito," said Yonting, who also worked in Japan as an entertainer.
In Japan, Yonting met his wife, Merlita, who was working there as a singer.
