In a heartfelt tribute that captured the soul of a legend, actor Dingdong Dantes honored the late Ricky Davao not just as a veteran performer, but as a beacon of warmth, presence, and unwavering generosity in the world of Philippine entertainment.

“There are people you meet in this industry whom you admire from afar long before you get the chance to shake their hand,” Dingdong began. “For me, Ricky Davao was one of them.”

To Dantes, Ricky wasn’t just an actor — he was an energy, a gravitational force in any room he entered. Whether it was at a party or a casual gathering, Davao’s instinct was to give joy. A microphone in hand wasn’t about the spotlight — it was about sharing light. One song, one note, and he could shift the entire room’s energy. It wasn’t performance for performance’s sake — it was pure connection.

A masterclass in presence

Before they ever worked together, Dingdong was already watching and learning from afar. “This man wasn’t just performing. He was lighting up the room. He was the room,” he said, recalling Ricky’s commanding yet joyful aura and his signature smile — eyes shrinking into cheerful crescents.

In 2021, their paths finally aligned. Amid the stillness of the pandemic, they were cast in the series "Alternate," with Ricky playing Dingdong’s father. It was during the lock-in shoot — stripped of glitz, schedules, and noise — that Dantes truly met the man behind the legend. They shared scenes, but more meaningfully, they shared silence, stories, and moments between takes. Over coffee, over adobo recipes, and over reflections about life and craft, a deeper connection formed.

“He gave insight not just about the craft, but about living with purpose,” Dingdong wrote, echoing the lessons only the wisest mentors offer in quiet, unspoken ways.

A legacy beyond the lens

On set, Ricky was clinical in precision but boundless in soul. A director at heart, he approached every take with grace, generosity, and intention. He gave his co-actors something real to work with, grounding even the most emotional scenes with authenticity. Dantes described him as “a living barometer of professionalism — focused, evolving, empathetic, vulnerable — always present.”

There’s a story Dingdong holds dear — a simple exchange about coffee and intermittent fasting, shared during a quiet morning on set.

“It was a simple exchange — but it showed me who he was. Curious. Open. Sincere. Fatherly in the truest sense.” In that moment, we see not just Ricky Davao the artist, but Ricky the human: endlessly giving, always learning.

On pictorial day, Dingdong captured what would become one of his most cherished photographs — Ricky with Jackie Lou Blanco, his former wife, both smiling effortlessly. It was a moment of grace and humor, a picture of two people whose bond went beyond romance — rooted instead in history, family, and friendship.

The final bow

As news of Ricky Davao’s passing swept across the industry, tributes poured in. But Dingdong Dantes’ remembrance stood out — a narrative not of grief, but of reverence.

“He exits the stage now, not with finality, but with grace,” Dingdong wrote. “Leaving behind echoes of music, traces of masterful performances, the warmth of his fatherly ways, and the kind of good vibes that linger long after the last song has been sung.”

Ricky Davao was a fixture, a foundation. He wasn’t just part of the industry — he helped shape its heart. And as the curtain falls, Dingdong’s words serve not as a goodbye, but as a collective bow from everyone Ricky touched.

“Maraming salamat, Tito Ricky. You made our industry, our work, and our lives richer. This curtain call is not goodbye. It’s simply our standing ovation.”

Indeed, for a man who brought stages to life, there could be no more fitting farewell.