DEREK RAMSAY, THE HAPPY ‘HALFIE

Derek Ramsay with The Better Woman leading lady Andrea Torres

By Maridol Ranoa-Bismark H is bronze skin, black hair and black eyes make Derek Ramsay look like your typical Pinoy. But make no mistake. He’s as much of a half-breed as the fair-skinned Edward Barber and Anne Curtis. Derek’s father, Derek Arthur Ramsay Sr. is British and his mom, Remedios (nee Baggao) is Pinay.

Derek was born in England but spent most of his life in the Philippines. He was raised in Cainta. This explains why he speaks in fluent Filipino and is no stranger to the lifestyle in his mother’s homeland.

Derek’s parents met when his mom worked as housekeeping head in Cadogan Gardens, a five-star hotel in Great Britain.

That makes the award-winning actor and star of the GMA serye (with Andrea Torres) The Better Woman half-British.

Being a “halfie,” as Derek calls him- self, has its ups and downs. He may not buckle when delivering his lines in a movie or teleserye, but Derek admits he found it “very difficult” to learn Filipino.

“I couldn’t pronounce certain words in the script. It was really difficult to bring life to your character when you can’t say your lines convincingly,” he recalls.

Yes, patience is a virtue. Derek hang on, persevered with his Tagalog, and spoke it as often as possible with family and friends until he finally got the hang of it. No wonder his Tagalog – even his English—doesn’t show the slightest trace of British twang.

Derek says it’s his way of paying respect to the Philippines, where he’s been staying for decades, and making a name for himself.

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do,” he repeats a popular saying.

The bright spots come in when Derek steps out of his home country and explores the world.

He can’t thank his ‘halfie’ side enough whenever he feels at home in the places he goes to.. After all, he can pass for a Mexican, Arab, Spanish and Filipino, of course. So the natives in the said countries treat him like one of them.

Thus did Derek become a citizen of the world. He can adjust to different cultures, even those that are worlds apart from what he’s used to.

He enjoys local cuisine, no matter what part of the world he’s in,

“I appreciate a larger variety of food. I’m also bilingual,” he smiles.

Speaking of language, the Kapuso actor shares that being a citizen of the world makes

it easier for him to know the language of a foreign country. That’s a big plus, especially if you want to fit in and understand what makes certain cultures tick.

“I’m more understanding of difference in cultures and learning that you should respect that and appreciate that,” Derek says.

Understanding another culture also broadens his horizons, makes him more tolerant, and wins him more friends from all over.

Derek feels less lonely in a foreign land where total strangers keep him company.

The outgoing actor isn’t afraid to reach out to them, and, in his own words, “become friends with the world.”

“I love to meet new people. It’s definitely given me the confidence to go out there, see the world, and make new friends.”

The cosmopolitan world view gives Derek deeper insights on people’s character, which comes in handy when he portrays various roles – from the ordinary to the bizarre.

Now, do you wonder why Derek has become the sensitive actor that he is? He gets his best insights on human nature, not from a scriptwriter’s storyline, or a director’s instructions, no matter how good they happen to be – but from the real deal.

That’s why Derek won’t trade his bi-racial side for anything else in the world. There are challenges, of course. But the pluses outweigh the minuses.

Being a ‘halfie’ makes Derek more in touch with the world. It gives him confidence in dealing with anyone he meets. Most of all, it teaches him respect for others, even those whose ways are worlds apart from what he’s used to since childhood.

Experience, as they say, is the best teacher. Derek gets his lessons on compassion, confidence and respect from the most powerful source: real life.

Figures why Derek has become the darling of the crowd when he performs. He has also become a friend of the usually jaded showbiz press.

Figures, too, why Derek has man- aged to stay on top for almost two decades. In a business where stars – especially those with attitude problems – come and go, that’s something you look up to.  BG