Comedian and actor Michael V, known as Bitoy, recently shared a clip commemorating his late friend, Francis Magalona, on the 16th anniversary of the rapper’s passing. In a heartfelt gesture, Bitoy posted a behind-the-scenes video on social media, showcasing the process of getting a “Three Stars and a Sun” tattoo, a design inspired by Francis M.
Bitoy reflected on the significance of the moment, saying, “16 years ago and 3 days after Kiko passed away, I did something na hindi kasama sa mga plano ko sa buhay.”
While he acknowledged having no objections to tattoos, Bitoy humorously admitted, “I have nothing against tattoos except for the part na masakit pala s’ya. 😓”
Throughout the tattooing process, Bitoy expressed his discomfort with the pain but smiled when the artwork was finally completed. He shared a thoughtful message in the video’s caption: “Pero minsan mas okey na ‘yung sakit na alam mo ang pinanggalingan kesa du’n sa bigla mo na lang mararamdaman.”
As a tribute to his late friend, Bitoy emphasized that Francis M’s legacy would live on through his music. “FrancisM will live through his music. Everytime you listen to any of his songs, his memory will last a lifetime,” he wrote, adding, “3•6•9•12.”
He also tagged the tattoo artist who originally inked Francis M. In response, Francis’s daughter, Saab Magalona, commented, “We love you Tito Bitoy ❤️🙏🫶🏻.”
In 2016, Bitoy first shared the reason behind his decision to get the tattoo. “When Francis told me he had leukemia, naipangako ko sa sarili ko na should anything happen to him, I’m getting a ‘3 stars & a sun’ tattoo,” he recalled.
When Francis passed away on March 6, 2009, Bitoy remembered his promise but hesitated, unsure of who had originally inked the design. “Hindi ko kilala kung sino’ng nag-tattoo sa kanya nu’ng 3 stars & a sun. At kung ipapagawa ko sa iba, baka magkamali! Sabi ko na lang, ‘bahala na,’” he said.
Coincidentally, Bitoy met Pido Respicio, the tattoo artist who had tattooed Francis, at the wake. “I went to Kiko’s wake that night sa Christ The King and was approached by a guy. He shook my hand and said, ‘Ser magandang gabi po! Ako po si Pido Respicio. Ako po ‘yung nag-tattoo kay Francis.’ Curious, I asked him, ‘Anong t-in-attoo mo?’ to which he replied, ‘Yun pong 3 stars & a sun!,’” Bitoy shared.
The following day, Pido tattooed Bitoy with the “Three Stars and a Sun” design at their recording studio, fulfilling the promise Bitoy had made. “The tattoo somehow helped transfer some of the pain inside out,” he said.
In addition to Bitoy’s tribute, SpongeCola’s frontman Yael Yuzon also honored Francis M’s memory. Sharing a throwback photo, Yael recalled meeting the rapper during a flight from San Francisco to Manila. “We were about an hour and a half away from Manila nung nagpapicture ako kay Francis M. SFO to Manila ‘to. Naaalala ko pa yung amoy ng coffee and newspapers when this shot was taken,” he reminisced.
Years later, Francis played a crucial role in SpongeCola’s career. “13 years after this pic, i’d meet him again sa set ng The Mongols music video for ‘Bakit Nga Ba.’ Nung nalaman niya na may banda ako, tinanong niya kung pwedeng ishoot yung music video namin kasi bago yung camera niya and trip lang niya,” Yael added.
That video became SpongeCola’s first official music video for “KLSP,” directed by none other than Francis M. “So there, he directed our first music video which was KLSP. Such a badass humble guy. Humble na bad ass. Pwede yun. Learned a lot from him. Appreciate the life lessons. I still say Frenk instead of Frank. 🔥 #FrancisMForever,” Yael said.
Karylle Tatlonghari, Yael’s wife and host of It’s Showtime, replied, “♡♡♡♡♡ what a guy ♡♡♡♡♡.”
On March 6, the 16th anniversary of Francis M’s passing, his family, including his wife Pia and their children, visited his grave and held a private mass in his memory. His daughters, Maxene and Saab, also took to social media to share heartfelt messages, honoring their father and celebrating his enduring legacy.
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