CVAP Talks - Mr. Bernard Cañaveral

In knowing “real purpose” and responding to the call.

The Certified Voice Artists Program this year has a new segment which features the pillars in the industry to share their expertise and experiences. Last July 24, we were honored to be the first batch to become an audience of this rare opportunity and I consider this one of my most unforgettable experiences.

The first speaker for CVAP Talks was Mr. Bernard Cañaveral, a highly respected Filipino Broadcaster, Voice Artist/ Dubber in radio and TV programs. He started off by saying that “the Voice is the organ of the Soul,” as originally quoted by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Sir Bernard recounts the many challenges he faced when he was just starting. When he was younger, he learned some important lessons the hard way. And one of which was in realizing that “every line counts” in any particular script. Your voice, and your line counts. No matter how minor your role is, or how insignificant you think your piece is, the entire quality of the production will be sabotaged either for good or for bad. 

I find Sir Bernard as someone who is a veteran in this field. He talked with conviction all throughout the time given to him. He made mention about discernment and purpose. He posed the question, “Ano nga ba ang purpose natin sa buhay na ito?” This made me think about how I have become as a person, and where I am now in my life at this point in time. I have withered quite a few storms even before I settled here in America. Like Sir Bernard, life wasn’t always a bed of roses for me. Sir Bernard said he found it hard the first time he entered the dubbing industry. And I too can relate about those painful, birth pains. 

In the middle of his talk, he then shared the difficult and dangerous situations that led him to do the very first sin committed to God - Pride. “Lumalaki na yung ulo ko. I dictated my price. People were always getting me to dub famous movies.” He was also candid enough to share about his first experience with intoxicating substances such as crack. He made so much money that he forgot about time, that he smelled like smoke and felt so dirty and would often come home in the wee hours. All these led him to a particular experience when one early morning at around 5am, while he was about to get a taxi cab to go home, a boy in blue pants and white polo shirt approached him. “Good morning,” said the boy. Sir Bernard recalled getting annoyed and responded rudely to the little boy. On his way home to Makati inside the taxi, he got pissed and cursed due to the procession that caused traffic on the way. “Natututo na akong magmura,” he said. When he reached his house, he was unknowingly caught up by something he couldn’t explain. His mother lit up the candles in the altar. He saw the image of Santo Niño. He cried all of a sudden. The face of Santo Niño was the face of that child he encountered while he was flagging a taxi that very morning. 

I felt it. This experience of Sir Bernard is emotional and filled with reckoning. How am I so far? Have I done wrong? Am I aiming towards the right path? The right goals? “Pati feast day the Santo Niño nakalimutan ko na. I was so much absorbed with the world,” Sir Bernard painfully recalled. “I am now prostituting myself.” For me, these words echo so powerfully in my life and in the lives of those who listened to him. So many celebrities, radio personalities, and talented individuals fall into a trap because they forget. They allow themselves to forget and be taken by evil and greed. They, us, are guilty of prostituting the talents that God gave us. 

Another painful incident that he shared had something to do with a political ad. Sir Bernard at first wasn’t comfortable doing it, but because his price was tripled he again fell into the trap. At that time Sir Bernard was young and ambitious and he wanted to buy a car so badly. A red car to be more specific. “Sasalsalin mo lang naman yan eh.” This was the instruction given to him about publishing sensationalized issues about a certain politician. “That is the reason why we also have the soap operas, maraming bula pero walang laman,” he jokingly related the experience. He later learned that the same Ad agency was also doing the same publication and propaganda materials for a competing political party. Sir Bernard could not believe that he was doing all of that. All because of money and nothing else. 

Sir Bernard shared several other occasions wherein he thought he was no longer serving his real purpose. “Ang yabang ko na naman,” he spoke as he criticized the voice actors of a Christian radio program when he said they would not commercially sell because the delivery was lousy and were not good enough. The priest he was talking to silenced him and said, “Child, we are not selling soap, we are selling Jesus. We are not selling detergent, we are selling values.” Sir Bernard felt so humiliated like he had never been before. A lot of things happened during the course of his career but he kept mentioning his real purpose. What is it that we must do? How and when do we respond to the call? Is it all for money and fame? More and more revelations of Sir Bernard also made me think about why I am here and why I am doing all of this. Sir Bernard, an established person in this industry is opening his life for me to relate to him, and be better. I am very humbled and I will work hard to ensure that I bring these teachings wherever the future brings me. 

I feel blessed to have been given an exclusive opportunity to listen to Sir Bernard. For someone who has been through a tough time, being away from my comfort zone and trying to hold on to faith and courage as I start a new chapter of my life, these are all what I needed to hear. Sir Bernard served well in the industry and it would take days for him in order to share all his stories for sure. To say that I am enlightened is an understatement. When we are given the gift of Voice, I am reminded that the responsibility to do good is also very high. We must not forget about our purpose, our dreams and aspirations. We must not forget that we ought to give back our talents so that we can contribute to the world. Money and material equivalent are only temporary. These will not last. These will not heal whatever is already broken. These will not feed a lifetime. Good deeds, best practices and worthy experiences will. 

Naddie May Tejam 

Oak Park, Illinois 

08/02/21