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December Avenue frontman Zel Bautista when he was still working in a call center and him today

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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175999618267020251009 (1).jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="December Avenue frontman Zel Bautista when he was still working in a call center and him today. Bautista/Facebook"/>December Avenue frontman Zel Bautista when he was still working in a call center and him today. Bautista/FacebookMANILA — December Avenue frontman Zel Bautista looked back on his early years working in a call center in <a href="https://web.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10230525198375155&amp;set=pb.1276436137.-2207520000&amp;type=3">a self-reflective post</a> Thursday, recalling the hardships he endured before finding success in music.</div>Sharing an old photo of himself from around 2010, Bautista wrote, “Tired but not done.”He recounted taking jeepneys and UV Express vans to work, being caught in the rain, and struggling to afford daily expenses.&quot;Lived through days of having nothing,” Bautista wrote. “Sumasabit sa jeep, nakikipag bardagulan pagsakay sa UV, sasabihin sampuan e di naman magkakapareho size ng pwet naten. Nababasa ng ulan, wala nang pera tapos na-holdap pa.”He recalled the daily grind — being late or absent from work, lining up early for government documents, and dealing with inefficiencies that remain unchanged over the years.“Minsan absent nalang, madalas late,” he said. “Pumila ng 5 a.m. para kumuha ng NBI clearance, tapos pababalikin ka lang kasi may HIT ka. Kukuha ka ng ID pero hihingan ka rin ng ID. Pati pagkuha ng license, need mo maglaan talaga ng isang araw.”Bautista added that even after becoming a father, the challenges persist. “Hanggang sa nagka anak na ako, last year lang nag-claim ako ng birth certificate ni Izzy, isang araw naubos ko, wala man lang pa-merienda!”Now one of the most streamed Filipino bands of all time, December Avenue is known for its emotionally charged hits like “Kung ‘Di Rin Lang Ikaw,” “Sa Ngalan ng Pag-Ibig,” and “Bulong.” The group has filled concert venues across the country and abroad, becoming a defining voice of modern OPM with their blend of heartbreak anthems and acoustic storytelling — achievements that stand in sharp contrast to Bautista’s modest beginnings.“I am still grinding my way through it,” Bautista said. “Poured my whole life building my art, my family, and my life for so long. From a little boy with dreams, to a college student, employee, a husband, and now a father, wala naman nagbago sa sistema.”“To be honest, this country is getting harder to love,” he admitted. “Breaks my heart, pero di pa naman ako sumusuko.”He also linked his creative output to his personal frustrations and hope. “Maybe that’s why most of my songs carry heartbreak — dahil reflection sya of how I really feel about everything, not just about love, but life, at yung bigat of trying to stay hopeful.”Still, he ended on an optimistic note: “We still have bright spots because of creatives, and people who lead by example, showing that integrity and excellence can exist here. Ayun lang, let’s still try.”

December Avenue frontman Zel Bautista shared a candid post recalling his struggles before fame, reflecting on life as a call center worker in 2010 and the daily grind that shaped his resilience.

December Avenue frontman Zel Bautista shared a candid post recalling his struggles before fame, reflecting on life as a call center worker in 2010 and the daily grind that shaped his resilience.

December Avenue's Zel Bautista reflects on humble beginnings in heartfelt post

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December Avenue's Zel Bautista reflects on humble beginnings in heartfelt post

ABS-CBN News

Published October 09, 2025 03:52 PM PHT

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