As he celebrates his 15th year in showbiz, actor Enchong Dee shares that he constantly reflects on what he can do not just for the industry but for the country.
Actor Enchong Dee is celebrating his 15th year in showbiz, but he remains restless and always wants to know what else he can contribute both to the entertainment industry showbiz and to country.
Dee was an athlete before he became a model and actor. He was part of the swimming team of De La Salle University in Manila and eventually competed in Southeast Asian Games and Asian Games in the late 2000s.
In 2006, he was featured in print and television advertisements until he joined Star Magic, the talent management of ABS-CBN.
Dee was fortunate to be part of TV projects that were a hit like “Lastikman” (2007), “My Girl” (2008), “Katorse” (2009), “Tanging Yaman” (2010), “Magkaribal” (2010), “Maria La Del Barrio” (2011)”, “Ina, Kapatid, Anak” (2012), “Muling Buksan ang Puso” (2013), “Nathaniel” (2015), “A Love to Last” (2017), “The Blood Sisters” (2018) and currently “Huwag Kang Mangamba.” He also did some blockbuster movies like “I Do” (2010), “The Reunion” (2012), “The Strangers” (2012), “Four Sisters and a Wedding” (2013), “Tuhog” (2013), “Call Center Girl” (2013), “Once A Princess” (2014), “I Love You To Death” (2016), “Mano Po 7: Chinoy” (2016) and “Elise” (2019). Dee was paired with some of the best actresses of their generation like Erich Gonzales, Kim Chiu, Jessy Mendiola, Janine Gutierrez and Jasmine Curtis-Smith.
In recent virtual interviews with OneNews.PH, Dee said it was attitude, more than anything, that could lead anyone to the pinnacle of success. He still remembers, up to this day, the lesson he learned from a senior actor.
“Ang acting or performance ng artista, napag-aaralan, pero ang ugali ng artista, mahirap baguhin so make sure na mas mabuti kang makisama muna and then aralin mo ‘yung craft mo. (Acting and performance can be learned, but the attitude of the artist is difficult to change. It is better to develop good working relationship first and then hone your craft),” he quoted the senior actor as telling him. “Napakaliit ng industriya natin. Iyong mga taong inartehan mo, iyong mga taong pinakitaan mo ng disrespect, ‘yun at’ yun din ang mga taong makakasama mo (We are in a small industry. The people you have shown disrespect are the same ones you will be working with again and again).
Jerome Pobocan, one of his first directors on TV, can attest to Dee’s humility and good attitude towards work – making him one of the country’s reliable actors. “When he was starting, isa ako sa mga una niyang director sa ‘Lastikman.’ Grabe si Enchong noon, pinagsasabay ang pag-aaral at acting at nasa swimming team siya noon. Ngayon, I'm so proud na ‘di lang siya isa sa reliable actors, (I was one of his first directors in ‘Lastikman.’ Enchong was exceptional at the time, he pursued acting while studying and being part of the swimming team),” Pobocan said.
For Pobocan, Dee has “proven himself” to be an asset in the industry.
Do more
Dee shared the business taught him to be more grateful and grounded as an artist and a person. In spite of the success, he still questions his relevance.
"I constantly ask my myself, I constantly ask people in my management, kailangan pa ba ako sa industriyang ito? Mayroon pa ba ako maibibigay (Does this industry still need me? Is there anything more that I can give)?” Dee said.
Dee has also been expressing his views on social and political issues affecting the country.
He is supporting Vice President Leni Robredo, now a presidential aspirant. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, he went to the Office of the Vice President to donate goods. He also discussed with Robredo the possible assistance he could provide for medical frontliners and other Filipinos whose employment were affected by the lockdowns.
For Dee, it is important for celebrities and influencers like him to voice out their sentiments when it comes to current issues.
“Kailangan nating maitindihan na mas maraming bagay, mas malaking bagay iyong nakasalalay kesa doon sa mga personal nating kagustuhan sa buhay. Siguro nailagay tayo sa ganitong posisyon para magbigay-serbisyo kasi hindi naman pwedeng puro kabig ka lang ng kabig, kailangan nagbibigay ka rin sa community, sa society natin,” (We have to understand that there are many other things that our bigger than our personal wants in this life. Maybe we were placed in this position to serve, because you can’t just keep on taking, you also have to give to the community and our society),” he stressed.
Though he receives a lot of criticisms for sharing his thoughts especially on social media, he considers it as part of being a responsible citizen.
“It is a responsibility. Too whom much is given, much is needed. If you learn, teach, if you have, give,” he noted, paraphrasing Luke 12:48 in the Bible that reads: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.”
Moving forward to a better version
Asked what made him decide to stay in the business despite coming from a well-off family and being an accomplished entrepreneur, Dee said his love for showbiz really comes deep from heart.
“Staying in the business was always the goal. The decision just followed. It is an everyday decision that you have to make,” Dee underscored.
He revealed that he told his management many times that he had probably done enough and could rest and stay away from the limelight. He believes that the longer the artists stay in the business, the more they need to prove that they are worthy of the spot they are in.
“My handler told me, hindi totoong nagre-retire ang artista (it’s not true that artists retire). Kapag naging artista ka, nandiyan ka na forever (Once you become an artist, you’ll be there forever). Babalik at babalik ka. Yes, mag-te-take time ka pero babalik at babalik ka. Na-re-remind ako kung gaano ko kamahal ang magpakita ng emosyon. Naaalala ko kung gaano kasarap magtrabaho (You will always go back. Yes, it will take time but you will keep on returning. I am reminded of how I love being able to show my emotions and how great is to work),” he said.
Now, aside from his stint in TV shows like “ASAP Natin ‘To” and “Pinoy Big Brother,” Dee continues to develop YouTube content focusing on helping and inspiring entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“Klaro sa akin na iyong content ko ay for business. I want to share to the Filipinos iyong financial literacy. Iyon muna ang gusto kong pagtuunan ng pansin (It is clear to me that my content is for business. I want to share to the Filipinos the value of financial literacy. That’s what I’m focusing on),” Dee said.
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