Jimmy Bondoc and Duncan Ramos: Turning DJs through Natural 97.9’s ‘R&B’

HOW do you want to see—or, more appropriately, hear—top-caliber artists working together in one show—sharing their music, their views in life, exchanging light banter, interacting with fellow artists, celebrities and the common tao through the airwaves?

These and more would be Jimmy Bondoc and Duncan Ramos’s newest escapade, which began on June 30, as they embarked on a new adventure as radio DJs for  Natural 97.9’s newest program, R&B (Ramos and Bondoc).

“We are excited to venture into this new chapter in our life as DJs,” the newest radio duo said during an exclusive interview with BusinessMirror. “We would be talking about practically everything under the sun—on the lighter side of life. And, best of all, we would be sharing our music and promote OPM (original Pilipino music),” the tandem said. “It’s going to be one wacky, fun and happy late afternoon and early-evening sojourn with avid radio listeners and music lovers.”

R&B UPCLOSE

Ramos and Bondoc are bothsingers, songwriters and musical arrangers rolled into one. They are also concert producers. Bondoc is an acoustic musician who is known for his original hits “The Man I Was With You,” “Akin Na Lang Sana Siya” and “Let Me Be The One.” Over the years he has successfully positioned himself in the music industry as a balladeer who has certain vitality in his voice and a kind of freshness that comes from youth. In 2009 he released his album Walang Araw, Walang Ulan under Sony-BMG. It was followed in 2010 with the album Ang Mahiwagang Bisikleta at Ang Huling Makata.

Bondoc became a resident juror on the Philippine adaptation of the global franchise Twist and Shout. He has also served as a regular celebrity mentor on It’s Showtime and joined equally high-caliber artists on ABS-CBN’s musical variety show ASAP. Over the years he also has maintained a friendship with fellow “Sabado Boys”—Paolo Santos, Luke Mijares and DJ Myke—and the all-male group continues to warm the hearts of music lovers. On June 21 the group staged the concert “Bedroom Boys” at the Music Museum in Greenhills.

Meanwhile, Ramos first performed onstage with music icon Gary Valenciano and, since then, has had a steady path to fame. Starting out as a child prodigy—a singing-and-dancing wonder boy who often accompanied Valenciano on his shows and tours all over the country—Duncan, together with fellow new South Border talent Alaras, provided a fresh and youthful take on South Border in early 2000.

Duncan’s fame with the group easily grew when they came up with hits such as “Rainbow,” which first hit the airwaves in 2003 for the promotion of the Sharon Cuneta-starrer The Crying Ladies. South Border’s music even dominated TV with their song “Ikaw Nga,” which became the love theme for the hit series Mulawin. In 2004 the band released their first album under their own independent label. Episode III was a big commercial success that included the hits “The Show” and “Brown Hand Smash”—two songs that gave the group an edgier, danceable R&B sound. 

ARTISTIC ADVOCACY

Both consummate artists, Bondoc and Duncan have chosen their music and profession over other things, including their (past) loves. And, through the years, they have stayed committed to their crafts.

Take the case of Bondoc. Even if he had been given the chance for an acting career, Bondoc would rather remain as a singer. Playing himself in the GMA weekly drama Magpakailanman, Bondoc said that it would be the last. Or maybe he could try an indie movie, but never a movie or teleserye. For Ramos, he would rather spend his time molding young talents to become a singer like him. “I think that would be my advocacy—my mission now is to help young talents become excellent world-class performers. I’ve seen it for myself when I represented the Philippines in Japan at a music gathering called Click. We still have a lot to learn but we are slowly and surely conquering the world,” Ramos said.

Bondoc agreed, saying Filipinos need to preserve our culture through music. “We are slowly getting the consciousness of other nationalities as evidenced by them singing our songs. But, still, we Pinoys have to preserve our own culture,” Bondoc said.

In Photo: Duncan Ramos and Jimmy Bondoc with Natural 97.9 EVP-GM Josephine Reyes.