Boy Abunda was born in Borongan. He attended Ateneo de Manila University taking up business management. However, he failed to finish that course because of his father's death. He left Ateneo and worked in odd jobs to support himself. At the Metropolitan Theater, he worked as a stage actor and after that, as an assistant stage manager. Later, he became the assistant of the theater's administrator Conchita "Tita Conching" Sunico, who taught him public relations. Within a couple of years, he started managing singers and actresses and a public relations firm. He was working as a public relations consultant for GMA Network when a network executive named Bobby Barreiro, suggested he try hosting a television show. Abunda became a host of Show and Tell, a late night variety talk show with Gretchen Barretto, and Startalk, an entertainment talk show. He subsequently moved to GMA Network's competitor ABS-CBN in 1999, where he has hosted the following shows: The Buzz, Private Conversations, Homeboy, Kontrobersyal, and The Bottomline with Boy Abunda, a talk show interview. He is also a newscaster for entertainment of the late-night news programBandila. He also worked as a radio commentator for DZAR, during the Angel Radyo era. He also produced an album titled Melodic Conversations. He graduated from Philippine Women's University with degrees including Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts in 2009, Master of Arts in Communication Arts in 2011, and Doctor of Philosophy in Social Development in 2016.
Personal life
Abunda is openly gay and has been in a relationship with partner Elmer "Bong" Quintana since 1983. Although Abunda is a practicing Catholic and Marian devotee, he is a supporter of LGBT rights and same-sex marriage, expressing disagreement with the Church's stand on homosexuality. He denounced the 2016 Orlando Nightclub Shooting, which has been recorded as the deadliest incident of violence against LGBT people in United States. On June 23, 2010, Abunda became a part-time professor at Philippine Women's University teaching radio and television to Communication Arts students. He currently resides in Quezon City. Abunda's sister, Maria Fe Abunda, currently serves as a congresswoman for Eastern Samar. She had previously served as the mayor of Borongan.
Health
In August 2014, Abunda was not seen on TV for weeks. On September 7, 2014, he revealed in an exclusive interview with The Buzz that he had suffered from a medical condition in which 300 milliliters of abscess was removed from his liver. He was discharged from the hospital on August 23.
Filmography
Television shows
Films
Awards
Celebrity Inductee Winner, Eastwood City Walk Of Fame Philippines in 2010
3rd EdukCircle Awards - Most Influential Celebrity Endorser of Year
