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1 on 1: Ian Veneracion on magic moments and the pursuit of meaningfulness

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Miguel Dumaual, ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1755116" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>MANILA — Foremost regarded as an in-demand leading man in Philippine showbiz, Ian Veneracion purposefully wears many more hats — from being a painter, an avid outdoorsman, and a musician — admittedly in cycles in his constant pursuit of “meaningfulness” and magic moments.</p><p>Lately, he’s donned more of his musician hat, leading up to his virtual “Pajama Jam” concert to be held on August 27 and 28 via <a href="https://www.ktx.ph/promoter/5773/a-team">KTX.ph</a>.</p><p>Once that’s a wrap, a fresh pursuit unrelated to music will likely follow. Put simply, in his candid words, Veneracion gets bored easily.</p><p>“I don’t plan more than six months ahead,” he told ABS-CBN News. “For example, now, I know what to do now in the next three months. Pero six months from now, I don’t know what I want to do.”</p><p>“It’s a challenge, and that’s what I enjoy, instead of being in my comfort zone doing something na alam na alam mo na, you know where it’s going. Madali ako magsawa sa gano’n,” he said.</p><p>In the past year alone, Veneracion, for instance, headlined a comedy concert, starred in a sitcom, and learned to fly via paramotoring. Now he is set to return to primetime drama through “Huwag Kang Mangamba,” has been cycling regularly, and is ironing out the last details of his online “sleepover” with fans.</p><p>Self-aware of his “vibe” or balance being put off, largely due to the pandemic, Veneracion said he looks to these pursuits to reset internally and feed his soul.</p><div><strong>HIGH VIBE AND MAGIC</strong></div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CO8O6Cgrn7l/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"> </div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CO8O6Cgrn7l/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 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0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div></div><div style="padding:12.5% 0"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;margin-bottom:14px;align-items:center"><div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><div style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CO8O6Cgrn7l/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Ian Veneracion (@ianveneracion1)</a></div></div></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Being in the great outdoors, for example, has been Veneracion’s way of praying. Whether flying among clouds or riding the waves, being surrounded by nature is when he feels most grateful, he said.</p><p>“That’s how I pray, I guess. That’s when I communicate with whatever we consider a higher consciousness. That’s where I feel gratitude and high vibe, because of the beauty of what I see,” he said.</p><p>As an actor and musician, Veneracion looks forward to “magic moments,” which, while fleeting, gives him incomparable fulfillment.</p><p>“A magic moment, for me, as an actor is when, for even a split second, I cannot distinguish anymore if I’m acting. There are scenes where sobrang in the zone kayo ng kaeksena mo,” he explained.</p><p>Veneracion mentioned as an example a scene in his 2017 series “A Love to Last,” where he and co-star Iza Calzado portrayed a married couple deciding on their annulment over dinner.</p><p>“May gano’n din sa music,” Veneracion shared. “Kunyari kanta, na gabi-gabi niyo tinutugtog, merong gabi na may magic moment. Nangyayari lang ‘yun if you’re willing to explore. It doesn’t happen when it’s a mechanical process. When it happens — sabihin mo, one out of 10 times — it’s still worth it. And I’d rather have that. Iyon ay at the expense of consistency. Kasi if you really want to be consistent, be mechanical about it.</p><p>“Pag lumulutang ‘yung banda, &#x27;pag lumulutang ka, nagkaka-jive kayo, naniniwala ako na nararamdaman ng audience ‘yun, e,” he explained.</p><p>Veneracion teased that he came by a “magic moment” in “Pajama Jam,” which he hopes viewers will also feel once it streams this weekend.</p><div><strong>HAPPINESS IS ‘OVERRATED’</strong></div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B19akRqAN9q/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"> </div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B19akRqAN9q/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 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0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div></div><div style="padding:12.5% 0"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;margin-bottom:14px;align-items:center"><div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><div style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B19akRqAN9q/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Ian Veneracion (@ianveneracion1)</a></div></div></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>With ever-changing roles and pastimes, Veneracion had a ready answer when asked which hat to him is most important — that of being a father.</p><p>Veneracion, who has three children with his wife, said he sees “so much potential” in both his own kids and other young minds to become “heroes” in their own story.</p><p>“I think it’s so important to give them confidence. Telling a kid, ‘Good job,’ is so important. Minsan, minamaliit natin ‘yung effect niyan sa buong buhay nila. Pero napakalaking epekto nu’n, because it’s self-image. Your personality, your moods, your emotions, everything is hinged upon how you perceive yourself, your self-image. </p><p>“For example, with the same exact life experience, if you see yourself as a victim, and you’re being oppressed by the world, it’s such a different experience from seeing yourself as a hero. The quality of experience is not even comparable. So, giving confidence to kids and encouraging them, that helps their self-image and self-respect, and that turns them into little heroes instead of little victims,” he said.</p><p>Asked what he would advise younger ones when it comes to keeping balanced and finding happiness, in the same way he’s managed, Veneracion clarified that “happiness” has not been his goal for a while.</p><p>“Don’t pursue happiness,” he would tell them. “For me, personally, happiness is overrated. It’s like a sugar rush. It’s not sustainable.”</p><p>“Aim for meaningfulness. If you’re doing something meaningful — for example, taking care of a sick person — it may not be happy, but it’s meaningful. Happiness is just a byproduct of that. It’s not a goal. If you make it a goal, it’s hard to find it. Go for meaningfulness and happiness happens automatically.”</p>

Foremost regarded as an in-demand leading man in Philippine showbiz, Ian Veneracion purposefully wears many more hats — from being a painter, an avid outdoorsman, and a musician — admittedly in cycles in his constant pursuit of “meaningfulness” and magic moments.

1 on 1: Ian Veneracion on magic moments and the pursuit of meaningfulness

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1 on 1: Ian Veneracion on magic moments and the pursuit of meaningfulness

Miguel Dumaual,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 24, 2021 08:42 PM PHT

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Ian Veneracion

Pajama Jam

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