Pochology: Inspiring 4000+ Youth in One Day

It is epidemic. Now, there is no other way than to accept the fact that it continues spreading even more. It is the power of Pochology, the Psychology of Pocholo “The Voicemaster” Gonzales.


The Voicemaster, in fact, has already inspired millions of youths after having spoken in so many schools around the world. Yet, he never gets tired. So, currently, he still continues inspiring more young people. Even more, he is taking it to the next level.


In these three talks, the Voicemaster talked more of Personal Branding and Creative Management.

Davao City

Tagum City

10th Filipino Franchise Show, World Trade Center,

Voiceworx 17 Day 3: Getting Closer to the New Self

Shyness is but a usual enemy of Voiceworx participants most especially during the first session and this, in fact, is also one of the most important concerns that the workshop is addressing. At the end of the workshop, each participant is expected to develop his or her self confidence on and off stage.

This is made possible through a lot of appropriate activities which make sure that at the end of the day, each workshopper would no longer mind proceeding in front of the class to perform or present something. This also ensures that they will have ample amount of confidence even when it comes to their daily interactions with people around.

Packed with activities like these, the third day of the workshop lasy July 16 never failed to make every participant absorb this point even more. Facilitated by the Voicemaster and CreatiVoices Productions CEO Mr. Pocholo Gonzales, the third day was made sure to have included a couple of exercises that would allow each one to go in front and perform.

Apparently, there were already positive results. In fact, even the shyest of the shyests among the participants during the first meeting was already able to perform. Also, workshoppers also learn to volunteer themselves, very far from their habit of pinpointing who the first to present would be.

In addition, since day was devoted to character voicing, they also learned how to be less concious whenever the artform requires some kind of performances that are really out of the box.

Three down, five more to go. Surely, there are more things to look forward to. And yes, the next five days would be steps closer to their new selves.

‘The Voice is in the Ears of the Beholder.’

 “If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then the voice is in the ears of the beholder as well,” said the Voicemaster Pocholo Gonzales during the third day of Voiceworx! Basic Voice Acting and Dubbing Workshop, July 16.

This is in relation to his point that voice acting is not just about possessing a good-sounding voice. In fact, he even emphasized that even “goodness” in terms of the sound is something that is really crucial since it is very subjective and like beauty, what is pleasant for one may not work for another.


Also, he pointed out that besides the quality of the voice in terms of its goodness, something that is more important is a voice artist’s ability to deliver the message he or she needs to deliver and the effectiveness of this particular manner of delivery. This means that how one uses his or her voice is something that really matters.

Voiceworx Day Two: More learning, fresh from the experts

The second day of Voiceworx opened with so much learning. Mr. Pocholo Gonzales, the Voicemaster opened the session of the Morning Class by imparting some words of wisdom which both can inspire and equip the participants in the journey they are currently in. Spontaneously, the Voicemaster was able to make them realize some things which are, in fact, not just important in terms of voice acting but also in real life.

The Workshop proper, on the other hand, was facilitated by Mr. Brian Ligsay who discussed more things about voice over. There were also giving of some pieces of advice and tips that are needed in the field.

The Art of Voice Acting

Like any other art form, voice acting is something that should be taken seriously. And that means devoting ample amount of time, energy, and effort in order to improve and attain a particular level before being able to really get involved in the field. So, along with this fact goes the availability of different means of learning and mastering the art. One of these is through books.

When it comes to voice acting, James Alburger’s The Art of Voice Acting is almost a bible. From the title itself, this book is about everything an aspiring voice artist should know before he dives into the sea of voice acting. It essentials from facts about the voice over industry up to the most specific tips and teachnical bits of information for aspiring voice artists.

Truly, this book is a must-read for erveryone who wants to learn more about the art form. However, reading alone should not be enough. To fully learn things about it, it is still better to also seek help from the experts in form of wrokshops. This way, a voice acting enthusiast does not only learn the theoretical aspects of it but also and most of all, its actuality which is the real thing.

CreatiVoices Congratulates Eloisa Cruz Canlas

CreatiVoices Productions congratulates Eloisa Cruz Canlas also known as Lola Sela Bungangera for being the 2011 UP Gawad Plaridel Awardee. She used to be one of the facilitators for CreatiVoices Productions’ Voiceworx!

Click here for the complete story.

Giving Faces to the Voices

Walking along a particular street in Makati, wearing shades which compliment their total packaging, Pocholo “The Voicemaster” Gonzales and voice artists Brian Ligsay, Lily Nichols, and Liesl Bumatoc remain unrecognized by the bystanders who are there until they start throwing their ever-famous lines in different voice over projects they have already done. And that is the only time when people, exposed to different media and advertisements of different sorts, realize to whom they are talking to.

This may seem weird—being known as a voice and not as a person with a face. Yet, in a voice artist’s point of view, it is something that is not to be worried about. Besides, whenever moments of revelation like this come, there is always surprise. The crowd, after recognizing the voices and finally realizing that who they are talking to is the real person behind each voice, is always mesmerized

It is one of the things explored in the July 2 episode of ABS-CBN’s SabaDocu. The documentary exposed the real people behind these voices. On the other hand, the fact that people only recognized them after they spoke and delivered some of their well-known lines already implies a general truth with regards the nature of their professions.

So, to give them faces, today’s episode of ABS-CBN’s SABADocu focused on fleshing them out and informing the general public of who they are as persons as they talked about their personal stories which are involved about their personal lives and circumstances, professional life, and even the stories behind some stories which inspired them to go on and fight for what they do now. Through these, they are given faces

This was done to the persons who were behind voice overs applications in different media and forms of communication from radio, television, mobile phones, computer games, and even voice over applications in different places like the MRT.

This episode might have been a road to their exposure—visually—and helped them to be known to the consumers and their fans that, after all these years, might not have any idea who they are. At the end of the day, however, there is still this tendency that people who were able to watch this lose in their memories the faces of these artists and go back to the state of being remembered as voices.

Yet, this is never a bad thing. As these voice over artists put it, one of the many things to love about being a voice artist is anonymity. Unlike celebrities, they are not mobbed and stalked. Even better, they would never go out of the limelight because they never get really famous, in the first place.

Beyond Voices

Voice acting stuns as we all know. Voice artists, whenever heard, simply amaze other people. However, voice acting is not just possessing pleasant voices. Instead, it is something that is beyond good-sounding voices. Which is why, not because one continuously receives compliments for having a good-sounding voice does it automatically mean that he or she is already prepared to enter the world of voice acting.

The truth is, there are a lot more things to be considered before really delving to the field. Voice acting involves, in fact, things like acting, translations, and a lot more. So, it is better to seek proper training first and when we say training, consult only the experts.

In CreatiVoices Productions’ Voiceworx, you learn voice acting’s basics only from the Philippine’s finest voice artists. Made rich with many years of experience in their field, they can share the best learning every aspiring voice artist deserves.

Julius Babao visits CreatiVoices

Julius Babao went to CreatiVoices Productions to interview the Voicemaster Pocholo Gonzales and other voice actors for an episode of ABS-CBN’s SabaDocu, June 24.

Babao, apart from asking a couple of questions with regards the art of voice acting including the basics and the most piercing insights of the interviewees, also tried doing some voice overs in order to fully understand that voice acting is not simple.

The program’s episode which is all about voice acting and voice over will be aired on July 2, Saturday at 4pm.

'Graduation is not the end.'

“This is not the end. In fact, this is just the beginning,” Mr. Pocholo Gonzales, the CEO of CreatiVoices Productions said during the graduation of VoiceWorx16, June 11 at the Red Box Greenbelt 5.

After two months of intensive yet fun-filled training under reputable and well-known voice over artists in the country which started on April 9, the nineteen individuals who uplifted their passions for the art form finished the VoiceWorx! Basic Dubbing and Voice Acting Workshop.

Like what Mr. Gonzales said, this graduation might seem to be and end since it marked the end of the workshop but this, in fact, was more of a new beginning. He even testified that it is after this mark that doors would start opening for the graduates for whatever the world of voice acting saves for them.

This was also assured by Ms. Gabrielle Tiongson, a graduate of VoiceWorx1 and the special guest in the event. Ms. Tiongson, one of the most in-demand dubbers of ABS-CBN stressed in her speech that it was after graduation that opportunities really start coming which means that graduation, therefore, is really a start.

Apart from the awarding of certificates led by Mr. Gonzales and Voicewox Director Brian Ligsay, the graduates also prepared some presentations which showcased their learning in the said workshop. The Morning class presented a skit about making voices while the Afternoon class mimicked different TV commercials and connected them in order to create an entire story.

The graduates, inspite of being aware that there really are a lot of things to miss about the workshop were still smiling at the end of the day for like what they were able to hear from their speakers, it is not the end. Instead, they are all hopeful that it is just the beginning of their journey in the world of voice acting, an art form where their fully-baked passions already are in.

Insights on the road

Fresh from a dubbing session for a Chinese Movie to be aired ABS-CBN, the Voicemaster hailed a cab in front of the ELJ building. I, the writer, just followed. We got on the vehicle and instructed the driver that we were heading to Makati. It past four in the afternoon and it was Friday. Eager to avoid the crazy traffic on EDSA, the Voicemaster just asked the driver to take some alternate route.

However, we were not really able to escape the traffic jam’s spell.

“This is the worst day. This is the worst time,” said the Voicemaster, referring to the inevitable craziness of ever crazy traffic the Philippines way.

We had to reach our destination before six. Yet, the Voicemaster was able to keep cool although yes, he was a bit disappointed.

“Kaya mabagal ang pag-unlad ng Pilipinas. Dapat kasi mabilis ang daloy ng traffic para mabilis ang transfer ng goods at services,” commented the Voicemaster as the driver continued to struggle looking for an easier way and I, still sitting, observing.

And there were a lot more. He commented even about the government, about the people, and about the society. Yet, all these were no longer surprises. The Voicemaster is also a critic by nature and in fact, in spite of his busy schedule, he never forgets to pay attention to the things that happen around him—he remains updated and he never loses opinions on different things around. He is never afraid to say what he feels like saying.

The traffic jam’s craziness was so intense that afternoon. A number of steps from our destination, the vehicle stopped which lasted for several minutes and all the other vehicles ahead of us plus the way they cluttered the narrow street gave us a hint that the jam would be more terrible so we decided to just get off and just walk. And the ride was over.

It was just a cab ride, after all. But no, that would be an understatement. Instead, it was a cab ride filled with insights—fresh from the one and only Voicemaster.

The Voicemaster Gives a Talk to Out of School Youths of Lipa

Pocholo “The Voicemaster” Gonzales gave a talk to some out of school youth in Lipa City, Batangas during the emPower Youth Seminar last June 30.

Being a youth advocate himself, inspiring people most especially the young ones is also one of his passions, making him a very effective motivational speaker. Yet, being cool at the same time, he gives twists to his talks.

In fact, he opened his talk with an activity which, at first, seemed to be just a joke yet was very relevant. He asked everyone to find a partner to who he or she would say good and inspiring things in and about life.

The Voicemaster shared a lot of things and covered a wide range of topics that were really inspiring for the audience. He shared his insights on things like being young. He told his listeners that being young is a blessing that would soon be taken back from people. Apart from this, he also discussed about poverty.

According to him, poverty is not something that is always to be blamed to the government. Instead, why people die poor is they simply did not work for their future.

The Voice master also talked about Rizal and how the hero’s desire to be someone different inspired him to be extraordinary. According to him, it is through this desire that one can start having a specific goal to strive for something better. In fact, he even likened this to some of his personal circumstance which just shows that even in the modern days, someone can be great as long has he has a goal or a dream and he chooses to realize this in his own great ways.

Apart from this, he also talked about poverty and reminded the audience that when it comes to poverty, more than the government or any other party, the one to be blamed is simply one’s self. According to him, when a person dies poor, it means that he did not seize every opportunity that came on his way.

And this is where the idea that youthfulness is a gift which enables people to function well and seize each moment. However, this gift is something that would be taken away soon: people grow up. So, the bottom line is, since it is impermanent, yes. But if it will be used and spent

wisely, this stage can be used as a milestone for more great things in the future.

Like his every talk, this one is another great opportunity for the Voicemaster to share his insights and knowledge in different things that really inspire people. Plus, apart from inspiring them, the Voicemaster was also able to entertain them through his talent. In the end, another group of young people were inspired by his talk.

Spontaneously Spontaneous

He’s not a fan of planners but surely, he always has goals.

His days are not calculated and boxed in stiff schedules. Instead, he lives every day as anything goes. He is usually open to unexpected and unplanned activities which means, if you ask him to go somewhere and he is not really busy at the moment, he would probably accept your invitation if it is never planned.

Like ping-pong ball—that’s how he describes himself during times like these. And like this kind of ball, he goes back and fort, very spontaneously. He drives from one place to another as he listens to the radio and sings along to songs. When with some people in the car, say, a friend, he manages to crack jokes or, from time to time, tells stories and throws words of wisdom. And being the voice master, he even makes voice often times.

For him, it is part of living a life to the fullest; one of his secrets why he does not even look his age. And as he puts it, he never fails to enjoy each day. And not just that, while being able to enjoy, he is also able to accomplish a lot of things—every day of his life.

“I don’t believe in the saying ‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.’ What is important is you know your goals and you know what you want,” he said. For him, no matter how hard you try to plan for things, if you do not know where you are going or where you want to go in the first place, it is when things are going to fall apart.

So, he firmly stands in his belief that even if you do not rely on plans and live each moment very spontaneously, things will be fine as long as at the end of everyday, in your mind, there is clarity of what you are striving for.

Jack of All Trades

Apart from voice acting which is obviously his first love, he also does a lot of other things—he is a jack of all trade, after all. Like the diversity of the personality of the different characters to which he gives life through voice, the Voicemaster himself is a person that has many faces. Currently, he is the CEO and Managing Director of CreatiVoices Productions, a Philippine based voiceover company which offer a wide range of voice-over services which include radio and TV commercials, messages on-hold, and other voice-over applications which continue to give color to the world.

CreatiVoices Productions, apart from being a pioneer in the business of voice-over, is also a venue the Voicemaster uses in order to promote his advocacy—voice acting as an art. Besides providing voice-overs to different companies which are its clients, it also continuously produces passionate voice-actors through its Basic Voice Acting and Dubbing Workshop known as Voiceworx.

Voiceworx actually opens the door for some individuals who are interested in voice acting. Through its instructors who are actually practitioners and even the biggest names in the field of voice acting, Voiceworx not just seek to teach passionate individuals the basics about voice acting but also to instill to their minds that it is also an art form that has to be taken seriously and be enriched continuously.

Also, he still continues being a youth advocate. Even up to now, he is still involved with different youth organizations.

Still Passionate as Ever

Now, at the age of 32, he is already considered as a veteran in the world of voice acting. Having done literally thousands of commercials and other voice over projects, he is still in demand in the industry. Every week, he does a couple of voice over projects which make his long list of credentials even longer.

In terms of fulfillment, yes, he already has it all. But that does not mean that he is now thinking of stopping his endeavors. In reality, in spite of everything he has already achieved, he is still ready to see some new and wider world. And this makes him a real fighter in life—he does not stop, he keeps moving forward.

This shall no longer be a source of wonder, I guess. The Voicemaster, being very passionate by nature, is not just passionate when it comes to pursing his many endeavors but is also passionate in creating opportunities.

“I create opportunities,” he always says. He is the kind of person who not just complacently waits for chances where he can show what he can and prove himself—he makes them for himself. He always believes that through these kinds of opportunities, we can start attaining the changes we all dream of.

When asked how this becomes possible, his answer just goes back to one thing—passion. For him, passion is the most important thing when doing anything. To him, passion always comes first. Like what he has said, “When you do things passionately, everything else follows, including money.” As long as someone does things passionately, there is enjoyment and so is fulfillment.

However, in spite of his belief that he himself as a human has the capability to create chances for himself, he also believes that in spite of this truth, there are still some things that are beyond his control and that he calls divine intervention. He believes in himself a lot, yes, but he does not forget the presence of a higher being up there who has the only say on some things people simply cannot act upon.

“Regardless of the religion, what is important is a person has fear in a God because when someone does not believe in a God, that is where things begin…,” he even said. And by that, he means that when a person does not honor the existence of a God, things begin to become worse. And as he puts it, “surrender everything to Him.” For the Voicemaster, when a man entrusts himself to a God, things will be fine.

A Man of Ambitions

Ambitious but in a positive way—that was Mr. Danny Mandia’s immediate response when asked what he could say about the Voicemaster.

According to Mr. Mandia who is his mentor, Pocholo (or Choy, as he calls him) is the type of person who has a lot of ambitions. However, what makes him peculiar and even amazing as a person is he just does not settle for mere ambitions. Instead, he tries to do anything and everything just to find venues on how to make these ambitions attainable. And he always succeeds.

Mr. Mandia also pointed this quality of him as one of the things which brought him to where he is right now. This ambitiousness but in a good way is always good in motivating the Voicemaster to pursue the things he want.

The Voicemaster in the Making

He himself is a history.

He started his career as a voice talent when he was 16. Having won a competition in DZMM in which he defeated thousands of competitors in 1996, he was given a chance to work for the said radio station as a radio talent more particularly in the programs “Radyo-Radyo” and “Awit-Tawanan.” This opportunity led to the bloom of his career at a very young age, making him the youngest broadcaster in the network.

From then on, more opportunities started coming.

He then became a dubber and translator for various cartoons and teleseryes in ABS-CBN to which he was connected until 2003. It was long after he met Mr. Danny Mandia, his mentor.

“He looked so cute then, like a doll who was also chubby,” Mr. Mandia said. That time, he was given the chance to show his talent in voice-acting. And that was it. When Mr. Mandia heard him perform, the mentor immediately had an idea that it would be a start of something good for the young Voicemaster who really had potentials.

He also did the voiceover for some commercials and became standupper and voice talent for Sarimanok News Network’s “Tatak Pinoy” and the well-known educational program “Sineskwela.”

In 1998, he worked for the Philippine Children’s Television Foundation, Inc. and became the voice behind various character puppets for TV programs for children like “Batibot” and “Koko Kwik Kwak.” Exposure on these programs lasted for three years. And apart from those, he was also voice talent and director for some special programs of the UNICEF.

He also worked for the Manila Broadcasting Company – DZRH 666 Khz. Where he became a radio-drama talent and co-anchor radio-drama talent for programs such as “Text Love,” “Kandila,” “May pangako ang bukas,” “Mr. Romantiko,” and “Radyo Balintataw.”

Being a young practitioner, he was, indeed, historical. But when being asked what the challenges were during those times, he always points out the fact that he was young yet he was already able to do all of those things which eventually made him appear as a threat to the others who were older. And this also meant being treated as if he was not wanted by some around.

Education as Not the Only Thing

Apart from pride and arrogance, another thing that he learned about being a student most especially in his alma mater is the reality that even though education does really count in life, it is not still everything.

Though he is a loud and proud UPian, he knows the fact that being a scholar does not just end in obsessing with academics. “Because the real life is what lies outside the premises of the school,” he reasoned. Yes, for him, education matters. But it is also important for people to know that education alone does not stand.

“Diskarte,” he pointed out. He believes that people need this particular thing in order to survive and succeed. “Sometimes, what you just know is not really important because what you can do matters more,” he added.

Loud and Proud but Always Proving

Like what he always says, if there is one thing that UP taught him really well, that is none other than arrogance. Being a UP graduate, he is a loud and proud UPian. But don’t get him wrong. This streak of arrogance does not just end with pure loudness in terms of words.

“The problem with other UP graduates is they just brag and do nothing to prove what they brag about,” he said once. He believes that being in UP adds up to one’s confidence and arrogance but these all go to waste when nothing is done to put the words into actions and prove them.

And like what he usually tells the people around him, confidence, pride, and some amount of arrogance are actually good things as long as they give birth to actions that are powerful enough to translate goals into tangible successes.

“The problem with Filipinos sometimes is too much humility,” he even criticized. For him, awareness of one’s greatness is actually very helpful for with this begins motivation to do better. He also pointed out that Filipinos’ intense humility often cause people to just refuse when being complimented instead of being proud of their strengths in the fear of being judged as too proud or boastful. And because of this desire to please people around, instead of advancing forward, they just remain where they are.

So, he himself is not too humble and he knows that. He is proud of what he is and everything he has already achieved but like what was mentioned earlier, things do not just end here. He keeps on showing the world what he has got. Although he knows that some might be irritated by this characteristic of him thinking that he is being too much, he cares not. He does not live to please everyone after all.

“The thing is, even if you try to be humble, they are still going to judge you,” he said. So, instead of just being too humble just to please the people around, he chooses to be he loud and proud person he is.

However, apart from the things already mentioned, it is also amazing how he uses his sense of pride to inspire more people most especially the young ones. And like what he usually tells young people whenever he speaks of his numerous achievements, “I am not saying this to brag but to inspire you.” Truly, through these, people do get the idea that nothing is impossible most especially when you believe in yourself.

The Golden Ages

“The Golden Days” is the best way to describe his days at the University of the Philippines as an undergraduate student. Packed with adrenaline, inspiration, and excellence, his college days are one of the things he really treasure as an individual.

As an Isko, he was simple. In fact, he was one of those Iskolars who, due to their desires to pursue their studies in the most prestigious university in the Philippines, did not mind all the challenges and hindrances which of course included financial issues.

Which was why, he was a fan of the ever famous aristocarts—carts which offer food of different sorts in low prices compared to the canteens. He was even subscribed to a kind of credit system which enabled him to avail some food though he did not have any cash on hand and when his allowance arrived, that was the time he would settle all his balances.

This kind of system, according to the Voicemaster, was not really difficult. He was so trusted by the manangs who owned aristocarts because he was such a good payer. And the secrets: honesty and value of words. As long as you are honest and do as you talk most especially with regards the payment concerns, people are going to trust you.

But apart from being a fan of aristocarts and at the same time, known to the owners of these food stalls, he was also well known to his dorm mates. A resident of the Narra Residence, he was able to make his name through his habits of cracking jokes and other means of making people there laugh. And not just that, during vacations like semestral and summer breaks, he also loved asking his friends who went home to their respective provinces to let him go with them. And there, in the different provinces he was able to go to, he loved making some sort of shows which featured him making people laugh. One of his most favorite ways of making people laugh was making different voices. That way, he was remembered. He might have not stayed so long in those places but the people there did not forget him. He would always be the Pocholo they had known.

His college days were rock and roll, like how the Voicemaster describes them himself. Apart from all the goodness and the fun these days were able to offer, it did not miss to provide enough difficulties to test the Voicemaster and mold him to the person he is right now.

Being an originally creative writing major, he was able to be in the class of not just famous writers but even some national artists who were and are still looked up to by people. Some of these big names were NVM Gonzales and Francisco Arcellana. He was also a student of some writers who, up until now, rock the world of creative writing and literature.

Life as an undergraduate at those times, he admitted, was not really easy. The teachers who people look up to were more than enough motivations for the students to study the lessons and even beyond. And when it comes to writing, their cleverness and nature as almost all-knowing in the field were enough to frighten the students and push them to work harder.

However, no matter how crucial these days were, still, he could not get rid of his laziness. Ironically, he was taking up creative writing yet he was so lazy when it comes to writing.

“I’d rather talk than write,” he said, as he recollected his college days. Although he can do both, he is more inspired to talk than write.

One of the reasons why he became fonder of speaking compared to writing is that from the very beginning, he already believed in the power of speech. According to him, more than any other forms of communication, oral communication is really powerful because of its immediacy.

Not Just a Typical Man

When speaking of the Voicemaster, another thing that should be kept in mind is the fact that he is not just typical man. Apart from him being an icon in the world of voice acting which he considers an art, he is also a man who is involved in many different things making him like a Jose Rizal of his own generation.

“I am involved in almost everything you can think of,” as he puts it. And it is actually true. Apart from being a veteran in the field of voice acting, he is also a CEO of his own company, known as CreatiVoices Productions. He is also known for being a youth advocate. Also, he is a philosopher in his own ways.

“I love doing things at the same time,” he adds. But for him, that does not mean simply abandoning something when there is something else that can be done. So, as his voice is, he is very flexible. He does many things all at the same time but still making sure that nothing is being sacrificed.

“I am a perfectionist,” he says. He loves things being done perfectly. But of course, since he does things simultaneously, he also recognizes the fact that in order to succeed, he needs the help of other people.

Truly, there are a lot of things to know about the Voicemaster. He is not just a man of many voices. He is also a man of many faces.

Encountering the VoiceMaster

There is always some ample amount of wonder involved whenever there is an attempt to know someone behind a voice that is capable of stunning and even mesmerizing people. Voice, being suggestive and imagination-provoking as we have always known, is a source of marvel, enough to make us think, assume, and imagine what the real man behind it is like even if we are already seeing some visuals that go with it (say, in animes, instead of seeing the real men behind the voices, we see animations).

So, knowing the Voicemaster and facing him, indeed, are such thrills. At first, these were also like challenges for apart from the nature of his profession, it is also always a dare to face people with big names in their respective fields of expertise.

But what if assumptions do not meet the reality? What if, a star happens to be not as intimidating as you expect him to be? What if a veteran in his field happens to be someone who is as cool, approachable and spontaneous, just as our friends with whom we talk comfortably?

Because the thing is, the Voicemaster is actually like that. In spite of his long list of credentials and really loads of achievements, he remains to be a very cool person.

“I hate formalities,” he usually tells people most especially the ones he meets for the first time. So, even though he shakes hands a lot with people he encounters, he makes sure not to make people feel the awkwardness that usually comes from too much formality.

This quality of him usually shocks people, most especially youngsters who meet him for the first time. Like what I mentioned earlier, facing someone who is so up there, most especially from the perspective of a young and inexperienced individual, can really be a source of serious thrill. So, when he tries to talk to someone in a not at all intimidating manner, the person might really get shocked—and I guess, amazed.

Another part of his coolness and spontaneity as a person is his habit of asking questions. Actually, he loves doing so. Spontaneously, he throws and throws questions to the people he talks to. According to him, it is one way of knowing a person. In fact, this also makes him someone like a psychologist—he goes deep into you and knows your mind before you know it.

And not just that, in terms of his art of asking questions, he jumps from the basics to the more clever ones; all that with spontaneity. So at first, he may start with asking about basic information about a particular person and with no warning, just throws the question “What do you love to do?”—a question that is definitely capable of making someone think, really.

And of course, the Voicemaster is talkative by nature. That’s a fact. But don’t get him wrong. He is the type of a talkative person from whom one can really learn a lot, seriously. When you talk to him, you better be ready with a pen and a sheet of paper or just bring a notebook with you for you might want to make a list of some quotable quotes from him which are always delivered spontaneously.

Also, the analogies he uses to illustrate his points clearly are also amazing. For example, in a conversation about passions, he said, “Doing something you do not love doing is like marrying someone you do not love.” Well, good parallelism, right?

The Voice and the Man behind It

Different voices compete with one another as the crowd, energetic and excited, are all busy chatting with each other while the event has not yet officially started. Suddenly, there is a cue from someone that the program is already about to start. The sounds of the different voices of people all around do not cease, still. The noises, which are composed of voices of people talking in different languages, remained until one distinct and powerful voice projected by the microphone is heard. All of a sudden, the world almost stops. Everyone turns to listen.

Actually, there are some reasons why such thing happens.

First, the voice which made the world stop is simply good-sounding. And as we know, human voice also has the ability to capture people’s attention, like the way a pretty face is capable of stunning people even at a glance. So, people are easily mesmerized through voices which really sound good which are usually referred to as pang-radyo or pang-DJ.

Second, apart from its good quality, the voice is also amazing in the sense that even if it is obviously coming from a single person, it is able to shift in character. At some point, it is normal and then it becomes something of an old man and shifts to a child’s and then to a monster’s voice and so on. It is as if it is coming from a computer that is programmed to produce different voices in just clicks.

Third, the voice really sounds familiar. Even if you do not exactly remember when or where you have heard the voice, you are sure, still that you have already heard it before—on the radio or the television perhaps? Also, if the voice is something that shifts in character from time to time, it can also be that some of the characters it tries to mimic are just famous personalities like celebrities, politicians, and other well-known figures in the society.

And of course, apart from problematizing how such thing becomes possible, it is also necessary to know whose voice we are talking about in the first place. And in this scene, the voice which makes the world stop is coming from none other than the Voicemaster, Pocholo Gonzales.

Already an icon in the art of voice acting and in the world of voice-over in general, the Voicemaster is the man behind literally thousands of radio and TV commercials and numerous animes, telenovelas, computer and video games, and other voice-overs heard everywhere.

No wonder, he gets people’s attention just through his voice. And like the reasons mentioned earlier, he has this power which is capable of “grabbing people by their ears” and eventually make them stop from what they are doing and instead, just listen to him.

His voice may already be too exposed in his field but how about him as a person? How about the Voicemaster himself? What is he like when no longer behind the microphone? Now, these are the things that we are going to look at. We are going to know more about the Voicemaster and discover more things about the real man behind the voice which is the mastermind in giving life and color to our favorite animes, telesnovelas, radio and TV commercials, computer and videogames, and other voice-over applications we know so much.