Thanks to Lou of AP's site.
Rommel Gonzales
Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 03:03 PM
http://www.pep.ph/news/23749/Arnel-Pine ... ourney/1/2
Marunong lumingon sa kanyang pinanggalingan ang lead singer ng Journey na si Arnel Pineda kaya naman sumuporta siya sa grand opening ng Empire Superclub and Taboo Room sa Julia Vargas St., Pasig City.
Isa sa mga nagbigay ng break kay Arnel noong panahong struggling singer pa lang siya ay co-owner ng bagong bar. Kaya hindi nagdalawang-isip si Arnel nang maimbitahan siya nito.
Sa pakikipag-usap ng PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) kay Arnel sa opening ng naturang bar kagabi, November 3, sa Bldg. II ng Ortigas Home Depot Complex, naikuwento niya na dati siyang batang kalye.
Naranasan na raw niya noon ang matulog sa Luneta dahil wala siyang bahay na mauwian. "Opo, naranasan ko po ang maging isang batang kalye!" sambit niya.
Hanggang sa marami na ngang tao ang nakapansin sa talento niya bilang mahusay na mang-aawit at tinulungan siya para marating ang kasikatan ngayon.
At bilang pasasalamat dahil sa magagandang suwerteng dumating—at patuloy na dumarating—sa buhay niya, isa sa advocacies ni Arnel ang pagtulong sa street children sa pamamagitan ng Arnel Pineda Foundation. Naglalayon itong sumuporta sa mga batang nangangailangan.
Maging ang mga biktima ng bagyong Ondoy ay tinulungan din ng foundation ni Arnel. Sa katunayan, mismong bahay niya ay nasalanta rin.
"Binaha po ang bahay namin sa Commonwealth. Ang naapektuhan nang husto, yung music room ko. Nabasa po ang mga musical equipments ko, pati yung garden at bahay kubo dun sa garden.
"Pero ayos lang po yun. Kapag naiisip ko po kasi yung mga taong nawalan ng mga mahal sa buhay nang dahil sa mga bagyong dumating sa bansa natin, naiisip ko na mas masuwerte pa rin ako. Na ako, mga gamit lang ang naapektuhan, mga materyal na bagay lang, kaya ipinagpapasalamat ko yun," saad ng bokalista ng Journey.
At 42, masayang-masaya si Arnel sa takbo ng kanyang music career, at ng kanyang personal life.
May asawa at limang anak si Arnel. For the first time nga, naisama niya sa States ang misis niya at mga anak during one of his concert tours with Journey.
"Napagod nga po sila, sa mga plane rides at bus rides at kapupunta sa airport!" natawang kuwento pa ni Arnel.
Naitanong din kay Arnel kung kamag-anak ba niya si Allan Pineda o apl.de.ap ng sikat na grupong Black Eyed Peas. Pareho kasing tubong- Pampanga sina Arnel at Allan, pero half-Filipino ang huli.
"Napag-usapan nga po namin, na ano kaya, magkamag-anak ba kami, and tine-trace po namin kung magkamag-anak nga ba kami o hindi," sabi ni Arnel.
Napansin din namin ang maikling buhok ngayon ni Arnel. Naisipan lang daw niyang magpagupit nang maigsi. Wala naman daw kinalaman ang gupit sa pagiging member niya ng Journey.
NOT LEAVING JOURNEY. Speaking of Journey, intrigang nagbabalak nang magsolo ni Arnel, na diumano'y iiwan na niya ang Journey. Nilinaw naman niya ito sa PEP.
"Hindi po. Hanggang gusto po ako ng banda, hangga't gusto ng mga tao na bahagi ako ng Journey, hindi po ako aalis sa grupo. Mahal ko po ang grupo," sabi niya.
In fact, nakaplano na raw ang world tour ng Journey sa 2011.
"Magkakaroon po kami ng Asian tour, European tour, American tour, at kung saan-saan pa."
Napag-alaman din naman na wala palang kontrata si Arnel sa Journey.
"Gentleman's handshake lang po," sabi ni Arnel tungkol sa pagiging vocalist ng Journey.
Paalis ngayong araw, November 4, si Arnel patungong Oakland, California para sa isang gig ng Journey.
English translation
Arnel Pineda, the lead singer of Journey, is a grateful person that is why he supported in the grand opening of Empire Superclub and Taboo Room at Julia Vargas St., Pasig City.
One of those who gave Arnel a break during the times when he was still a struggling singer was the co-owner of the new bar. So, Arnel didn’t think twice when he was invited.
At the interview of Arnel by the PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) during the opening of the bar last night, November 3, at Bldg. II of the Ortigas Home Depot Complex, he told them he used to be a street boy.
He said he experienced sleeping at the Luneta Park because he didn’t have a house to go home to. “Yes, I experienced being a street boy!” he said.
Later on, many people have noticed his talent as a very good singer and they helped him reach his stardom.
To give thanks for his blessings that came – and continue to come, one of Arnel’s advocacies is to help the street children through the Arnel Pineda Foundation. Its mission is to support the needy children.
Arnel’s foundation even helped the victims of typhoon Ondoy. In fact, his house was also damaged.
“Our house in Commonwealth got flooded. My music room was damaged. My musical equipment got wet, including the garden and the nipa hut in the garden.
“But that is okay. If I think of the people who lost their love ones because of the typhoons that hit our country, I thought that I am luckier. My belongings were only affected which are material things and I am very thankful of that,” stated the Journey vocalist.
At 42, Arnel is very happy in the direction of his music career and his personal life.
Arnel is married with five children. For the first time, he was able to bring his wife and the children during one of his concert tours with Journey.
“They got tired on the plane and bus rides and going to the airports!” Arnel said with a laugh.
Arnel was asked if he is related to Allan Pineda or apl.de.ap of the popular group Black Eyed Peas. Both Arnel and Allan have roots from Pampanga but the latter is half-Filipino.
“We talked about it if we are blood-relatives and we are tracing if we are or not,” said Arnel.
We also noticed that Arnel’s hair is short. He said he just thought of cutting his hair short. He said that his haircut has nothing to do with being a Journey member.
NOT LEAVING JOURNEY. Speaking of Journey, an intrigue came up that Arnel plans to go solo and that he is leaving Journey. He clarified this with PEP.
“No. As long as the band likes me, as long as the people wants me to be a part of Journey, I won’t leave the group. I love the group,” he said.
In fact, Journey has already planned for a world tour in 2011.
“We will do an Asian tour, European tour, American tour, and in many other places.”
We also found out that Arnel does not have a contract with Journey.
“A gentleman’s handshake only,” said Arnel of being the vocalist of Journey.
Arnel is leaving today, November 4, heading to Oakland, California for a Journey gig.
So.... no contract......
just cause you shook hands like that in 7th grade, doesnt mean it is normal 
;)
