FOR RAYMOND LAUCHENGCO, ‘BAGETS’ IS A GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

“EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND.” It’s the catchy, familiar title of the Nov. 28 concert of singer-actor and ‘80s teen heartthrob Raymond Lauchengco, whose songs such as So, It’s You, Farewell, I Need You Back and Saan Darating Ang Umaga and films like the iconic “Bagets” have endeared him to, yes, everyone.

- By JERRY DONATO

Raymond in a throwback photo with the other original cast members of 'Bagets' the movie.

Raymond is mounting it as a followup to the successful “Just Got Lucky: The 40th Anniversary Concert” that brought the audience to the unique music of the ‘80s. The Theatre at Solaire is the venue for “Everybody Loves Raymond.”

And speaking of the ‘80s, it’s also the era when the local film enthusiasts and moviegoers met Raymond’s Arnel, his well-off character in “Bagets,” which will have its stage adaptation and version on Jan. 23, 2026.

The STAR had a brief chat with Raymond, who shared his thoughts on “Bagets, the Musical” and “Everybody Loves Raymond.”

“What I do know is there have been talks about turning ‘Bagets’ into a musical for a long, long time by different groups and different people, (and) it never happened,” said he, who expressed delight that Viva, The Philippine STAR, the Newport World Resorts and PETA have come together to finally make it happen.

“I think ‘Bagets’ is a gift that keeps on giving,” reflected he. “At that time, you know, we were just horsing around, we were just playing. We had no idea that what we were doing was going to turn into some sort of a classic.”

“We had no idea that it would become iconic or representative of an entire generation. We were just playing,” he continued.

When discussing friendship-male bonding movies and ensemble acting, “Bagets,” including “Bagets 2,” always makes a list, while its songs have become soundtracks of many.