Fernando Cyril "Dingdong" Veloso Avanzado (born July 7, 1968) is a Filipino singer, actor, politician and TV host.

Early life

Avanzado was born on July 7, 1968 in

Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 2,960,048 people. It was fou ...

. He was born to the political Veloso Family of

Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...

, to Fernando Avanzado Sr., a former politician and to lawyer Carina Flores, the current mayor of

Oton Oton, officially the Municipality of Oton (; krj, Banwa kang Oton, hil, Banwa sang Oton, tgl, Bayan ng Oton), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 98,509 p ...

Iloilo Iloilo (), officially the Province of Iloilo ( hil, Kapuoran sang Iloilo; krj, Kapuoran kang Iloilo; tl, Lalawigan ng Iloilo), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is the City of Iloilo, the ...

. He was part of Kundirana, an all male group formed in De La Salle University where Gary Valenciano and

Ogie Alcasid Herminio Jose Lualhati "Ogie" Alcasid Jr. (; born August 27, 1967) is a Filipino singer-songwriter, television presenter, comedian, parodist, and actor. He is currently the President of OPM (Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-Aawit). Early care ...

has been part of.

Music career

His performance on some movie theme songs prompted Dyna Records to sign him to a record deal. His single, "Ikaw Lamang", earned him his first Gold certification. His first major concert, called Shine On, was held in Rizal Theatre (now occupied by

Makati Shangri-La, Manila Makati Shangri-La, Manila was a hotel located in Makati and one of the three hotels managed by Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts in Metro Manila, Philippines. Opening on April 27, 1993, the hotel had 696 rooms and suites at the time of its temporar ...

). In 1988, he released the album ''Tatlong Beinte Singko'' under Dyna Records. The album contained eight tracks, including hit singles: "Ikaw Lamang", "Maghihintay Sa'yo", and "Tatlong Beinte Singko" (composed by Rannie Raymundo). In the same year, he staged his second major concert at the Folk Arts Theater. From 1988 to 1990, he performed two major concerts at the University of Life Theater and Recreational Arena (ULTRA). He also starred in several youth-oriented films such as ''

Pik Pak Boom ''Pik Pak Boom'' is a 1988 Filipino anthology comedy film directed by Leroy Salvador and starring Herbert Bautista, Lea Salonga, Lilet, Bing Loyzaga, Regine Velasquez, and Dingdong Avanzado. The film consists of two segments: "Manyika" () and " ...

'', ''I Love You 3x a Day'', ''Estudyante Blues'', and ''Love at First Sight''. From 1991 to 1994, Avanzado returned to performing and touring in different regions of the country. His nationwide tour gave him a larger audience and further increased his popularity. His fame grew when his compositions "Paalam Na" (co-written with his then-girlfriend,

Rachel Alejandro Rachel Jingco Alejandro (born February 18, 1974) is a Filipino singer and actress. Biography Early life Alejandro's mother and father separated when she was four. Her mother then remarried and moved to the United States. Together with her fat ...

) and "I Will Be There for You" gained recognition. In 1994, he co-starred in the film ''Paniwalaan Mo'', an

OctoArts Films OctoArts Films (also known as OctoArts Films International for foreign films) is a Filipino film production and distribution company founded in 1989 by Orly R. Ilacad. A veteran record producer, Ilacad only decided to establish the film compan ...

movie taken from one of his songs as

Dawn Zulueta Marie Rachel Salman Taleon-Lagdameo (born March 4, 1969), known professionally as Dawn Zulueta (), is a Filipino actress, host and commercial model. She was recognized as the only Filipino actor to win two different major accolades in acting cat ...

’s brother, opposite

Aga Muhlach Ariel Aquino Muhlach"Aga Muchlach biography"
''IMDB''. Retrieved June 13, 2014. (; born August ...

Jamie Rivera Mary Jane Cruz-Mendoza (born August 29, 1966), known professionally as Jamie Rivera, is a pop singer from the Philippines and also known as the Inspirational Diva. Since her post-EDSA Revolution debut album ''Hey It's Me'', Rivera has had five ...

and

Tonton Gutierrez Eduardo Antonio Winsett Gutierrez, Jr. (born March 20, 1968), professionally known as Tonton Gutierrez, is a Filipino film and television actor best known for his role as Governor Eduardo Buenavista in the original hit teleserye ''Pangako Sa ...

. In 1997, he recorded his seventh album, ''Decade After'', which was released by

GMA Records GMA Music (formerly known as Infiniti Music and GMA Records) is a subsidiary of GMA Network Inc. and is engaged in the production, marketing and distribution of music and concerts. GMA Music is a member of PARI and has the distinction of havin ...

(formerly Infinity Music) in celebration of ten years in the music business. The album contained hits like "Wish I Could" and "To Love Again" by

Sharon Cuneta Sharon Gamboa Cuneta-Pangilinan ( , ; born January 6, 1966) is a Filipino actress, singer, television host, and socialite. Regarded as one of the most successful and highest-earning individuals in the Philippine entertainment industry, she has ...

. The album went platinum. It was also during this time that he met singer-actress

Jessa Zaragoza Richelle Ann Mallari Loyola-Avanzado (born January 31, 1979), better known by her stage name Jessa Zaragoza, is a Filipina commercial model, singer and actress. She is known as the "Phenomenal Diva" and "Jukebox Queen of the 90s" for her first ...

in 1998 and married her in 2001. Several foreign concerts followed, where they performed in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada, and the United States. In 2000, Avanzado released the album, ''Here To Stay'', under

Star Records Star Music (stylized in lowercase as starmusic; formerly known as Star Records), is a record label in the Philippines owned and operated by media conglomerate ABS-CBN Corporation. It was formerly a separate company operating as a wholly owned ...

. It contained the hit song, "Walang Kapalit", by

Rey Valera Reynaldo Valera Guardiano, better known as Rey Valera (born 4 May 1954), is a Filipinos, Filipino singer, songwriter, music director, film scorer and television host. He wrote and produced songs that were recorded by various singers, most notabl ...

. As well as singing, Avanzado started directing concerts for other artists. He released a duet album, ''Laging Ikaw'', on

Universal Records Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...

, in 2005. In 2012, Avanzado released ''Download'', which was produced by

Viva Records Viva may refer to: Companies and organisations * Viva (network operator), a Dominican mobile network operator * Viva Air, a Spanish airline taken over by flag carrier Iberia * Viva Air Dominicana * VIVA Bahrain, a telecommunication company * ...

. All tracks on the album were original songs written by Avanzado.

Political career

In 1998, he embarked on a new career as he ran for public office and was seated in the city council of the 3rd District of Quezon City. In a span of three years, he was able to establish Quezon City as the "City of Stars", highlighting the major film networks of the film and music industry to boost tourism. In 2007, Avanzado migrated to the United States, settling in

Vallejo, California Vallejo ( ; ) is a city in Solano County, California and the second largest city in the North Bay region of the Bay Area. Located on the shores of San Pablo Bay, the city had a population of 126,090 at the 2020 census. Vallejo is home to th ...

, with his wife. In 2012, he also announced his intention to run for Vice Governor of

Siquijor Siquijor ( , ), officially the Province of Siquijor ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Siquijor; tl, Lalawigan ng Siquijor), is an island province in the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the municipality also named Siquijor ...

under the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

. In the 2013 elections, Avanzado received 25,159 votes compared to 20,472 from his opponent, Art Pacatang, from

Lakas–CMD Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats, abbreviated as Lakas–CMD and also known simply as Lakas, is a political party in the Philippines. Lakas–CMD is considered to sit on the centre-right of the political spectrum, and is influenced by Chris ...

Discography

Studio albums

*''Dingdong Avanzado Extended Play'' (1987;

Dyna Music Dyna Music Entertainment Corporation is a Filipino record label. It is one of the major record companies in the Philippines; in the 1960s, it was the country's largest licensee of foreign labels. The first independent record label in the Philippi ...

) *''Dingdong Avanzado'' (1988;

) *''Just Can't Stop'' (1989;

) *''Reachin' High'' (1991;

OctoArts International PolyEast Records (formerly Canary Records, OctoArts International, OctoArts EMI Music Inc. and EMI Philippines) is a record label in the Philippines. It is a member of the Philippine Association of the Record Industry and from 2008 until 2013, ...

) *''Coming of Age'' (1993; OctoArts International) *''Brand New Love'' (1994; OctoArts International) *''Decade After'' (1997; Infiniti Music) *''Recall'' (1999; Infiniti Music - distribution under BMG Records Pilipinas) *''Here to Stay'' (2003; Star Music) *''Laging Ikaw'' (with Jessa Zarragoza) (2005;

) *''Download'' (2012;

)

Compilation albums

*''The Best of Dingdong Avanzado'' (1992; Dyna Music) *''OPM Timeless Hits: Dingdong Avanzado'' (1997; PolyEast Records) *''The Story of Dingdong Avanzado'' (2002; PolyEast Records)

Singles

*"Ikaw Lamang" (1987) *"Basta't Kasama Kita" (1989) *"Naghihintay Sa'Yo" (1989) *"Download" (2012) *"Pangarap" (2012)

Music Videos

*Download (2012) *Pangarap (2012) *Wish I Could (1996)

Covers By Other Artists

*Basta't Kasama Kita (1989) (Covered By: Josh Santana & Daryl Ong, and also covered by pinoy punk rock band The Ultimate Heroes, also covered by his wife Jessa Zaragoza-Avanzado & himself the original singer; also used in the following teleseryes: Basta't Kasama Kita & FPJs Ang Probinsyano)

Awards

*Song of the Year – "Paalam Na", Awit Awards 1995 *Best Ballad Recording – "Paalam Na", Awit Awards 1995 *Best Dance Recording – "I Will Be There For You", Awit Awards 1996 *Best Concert Director (nomination) – Aliw Awards 2005 *Celebrity Inductee Winner – Eastwood City Walk of Fame Philippines 2009

Filmography

Television

*''I Love You Three Times a Day'' (1982) *'' That's Entertainment'' (1986–1991) (GMA Network) *''Estudyante Blues'' (1989–1990) (PTV 4) *''Paniwalaan Mo'' (1993) *'' ASAP'' (1995) (ABS-CBN) *''9 Mornings'' – performer (2002) *''Shall We Dance: The Celebrity Dance Challenge'' (2005) (TV5) *''

Magpakailanman ''Magpakailanman'' ( en, Forevermore) is a Philippine television drama anthology show broadcast by GMA Network. Hosted by Mel Tiangco, it premiered on December 2, 2002. The show concluded on December 27, 2007. It was replaced by the '' E.S.P.'' ...

'' (2005) (GMA Network) *''Jologs Guide'' (2005) (GMA Network) *''Balikbayan'' (2005) (QTV) *'' Noel'' (2005) (QTV) *''

Search for the Star in a Million ''Search for the Star in a Million'' (formerly ''Star in a Million'' after two seasons) is a Philippine television program in ABS-CBN. The shows premise is almost the same to that of ''American Idol'', although the format is derived from GMA's ' ...

'' (2005–2006) (ABS-CBN) *''O-Ha!'' (2006) (TV5) *'' Pinoy Dream Academy: Little Dreamers'' (2008) (ABS-CBN) *''

Talentadong Pinoy ''Talentadong Pinoy (transl,"Talented Pinoy" '' also known as '"Bangon Talentadong Pinoy"', (transl, "Get Up, Talented Pinoy" for its eighth season is a Philippine reality talent show broadcast by TV5. The show premiere on August 16, 2008. Host ...

'' (2009) (TV5) *'' Sarap at Home'' (2010) (QTV) *''

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...

'' (2010) (ABS-CBN) *'' Bagets: Just Got Lucky'' (2011) (TV5) *''

Walang Tulugan with the Master Showman ''Walang Tulugan with the Master Showman'' () formerly known as ''Master Showman Presents'', is a Philippine television variety show broadcast by GMA Network. Hosted by German Moreno, along with John Nite, Shermaine Santiago, Jackie Lou Blanco, ...

'' (2014) (GMA Network) *''

Trenderas ''Trenderas'' is a Philippine weekly musical drama series to be broadcast on TV5. It stars Isabella de Leon, Katrina Velarde and Lara Maigue. It premiered on September 13, 2014, and ended on December 27, 2014, it aired every Saturday at 9:30 P ...

'' (2014) (TV5) *''

Sabado Badoo ''Sabado Badoo'' () is a 2015 Philippine television comedy anthology broadcast by GMA Network. Hosted by Betong Sumaya and Sef Cadayona, it premiered on March 14, 2015. The show concluded on July 25, 2015 with a total of 20 episodes. Segments ...

'' (2015) (GMA Network) *''

Sunday PinaSaya ''Sunday PinaSaya'' () is a Philippine television variety show broadcast by GMA Network. Hosted by Ai-Ai delas Alas, Marian Rivera, Wally Bayola and Jose Manalo, it premiered on August 9, 2015 on the network's Sunday Grande sa Hapon line up rep ...

'' (2015) (GMA Network) *'' Full House Tonight'' (2017) (GMA Network) *'' Celebrity Bluff Season 3'' (2017) (GMA Network) *''

Your Face Sounds Familiar ''Your Face Sounds Familiar'' ( Spanish: ''Tu cara me suena'') is a Spanish interactive reality television franchise series where celebrity contestants impersonate singers. The format, similar to Dutch television series ''Soundmixshow'', was ...

'' (2018) (ABS-CBN) *''

Wowowin ''Wowowin'' is a Philippine television variety show broadcast by All TV. Hosted by Willie Revillame, it premiered on May 10, 2015 on GMA Network. The show aired its final broadcast on GMA Network on February 11, 2022. The show premiered on All ...

'' (2020) (GMA Network) *'' Happy Time'' (2021) (NET 25) *'' Sing Galing: Sing-lebrity Edition'' (2021) (TV5)

Film

*'' I Love You 3x a Day'' (1988) *''

'' (1988) - Sonny *''Estudyante Blues'' (1989)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Avanzado, Dingdong 1968 births Living people 20th-century Filipino male singers Liberal Party (Philippines) politicians People from Quezon City People from Siquijor That's Entertainment (Philippine TV series) That's Entertainment Tuesday Group Members GMA Network personalities GMA Music artists ABS-CBN personalities Star Music artists Viva Artists Agency Viva Records (Philippines) artists Filipino actor-politicians