With his impressive comedic chops, Negi, whose real name is Uldario Molina, Jr., never fails to bring good vibes to everyone who gets to see him in his television stints. But behind his sunny disposition, little we did know that he actually went through a lot of challenges in pursuit of attaining his ambitions in life.

And in the latest episode of “Tao Po,” ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs broadcast journalist Johnson Manabat had the opportunity to know him a bit more by paying him a visit at his four-storey abode in Navotas City.

According to him, it is a fruit of his hardwork, determination, and deep devotion to the Mahal na Señor ng Bangkulasi, the patron saint of the barangay in the said city where he grew up and used to be called “Dantoy.” They used to rent a cramped house when he was still a kid, so he made it as his primary goal to provide his family not just a decent, but a beautiful space to live in.

In their present home, Negi has his own room, which is a complete representation of the kind of childhood he didn’t have due to poverty. For instance, he has a classic arcade game with his name emblazoned on it, for they used to have a neighbor who owns a family computer and didn’t let them at least watch by closing the door of their house. But instead of getting mad or feeling sorry about himself, he channeled that into a motivation to get himself his own video gaming machine.

Before entering the entertainment scene, he used to earn a living by deboning milkfish (or bangus), in which he was paid for 3 pesos for each fish that he would finish. At the same time, he also joined gay lip sync contests, until one of his friends invited him to go to a comedy bar in which he was able to showcase his comedic chops as a host. And the rest, as they say, is history.

From being matinik in deboning bangus, he eventually became known as a matinik jester not just in comedy bars, but also in several Kapamilya shows. His onscreen debut was the long-running late-night comedy talk program Gandang Gabi Vice, in which he was hired by the Unkabogable Star to be his sidekick after working together in a comedy bar. It was also her who gave him the screen name “Negi.” He’s then tapped to be part of other programs, such as the musical game show I Can See Your Voice as one of the “singvestigators.”

As the pandemic halted the lives of most of us for two years, including the ones who were in the entertainment industry, Negi didn’t allow that hurdle to stop him from continuously earning for his family. Thus, he decided to go back to his first bread and butter many years ago – deboning bangus – and sell boneless bangus online.When asked by Johnson how that made him feel, he conveyed that he’s really okay with it since he never feels ashamed about it.

And with all the blessings that he’s been reaping, there are many people to whom he’s grateful for, most especially Vice Ganda. With everything that they’ve gone through together and all the support that she has given him through the years that they have been friends, he has nothing but gratitude and love for her.

He’s been living at their current residence for four years already with his elder sister and her children. Apart from providing them a home, he has also taken the responsibility of helping her raise his niblings and sending his nephew Jhun Whilfred “Mokie” Molina to school.

Unfortunately, his mom isn’t alive anymore to savor the comfortable life they have right now. His father, on the other hand, had the chance to experience it before passing away in 2021.

“Hangga’t may binibigay si Lord na blessings, tatanggapin natin,” he said. “Gano’n pala ‘yon. Kapag na-achieve mo na ang gusto mo, tinatanong mo, ‘ano bang purpose ko?’ Iniisip ko, siguro para sa mga pamangkin ko. Hindi na para sa akin.”

Then he added, “‘Di ba, sabi nila, ‘yong pera, kapag nakakabili tayo ng mga bagay na gusto natin, nagiging masaya tayo? Hindi pala dapat gano’n. Dapat makuntento ka para ma-feel mo ‘yong happiness. Sabi ko no’ng araw, bigyan Mo lang akong tinapay, binigyan Niya ako ng catering.”

May the story of Negi inspire to keep on chasing your dreams regardless of how small and huge they are. With faith, determination, and perseverance, everything is going to be definitely possible.