Actor-entrepreneur Marvin Agustin has said that his two young boys have already accepted the fact that their parents do not live in the same house.
“Years ago, they asked bakit hindi kami magkasama. I told them that they have two happy parents. Pareho lang ito it’s just that we don’t live in the same house. Yun na rin kasi ang namulatan nila,” said Agustin, during an interview on “Tonight With Boy Abunda” on ABS-CBN.
In explaining the predicament to his children, Agustin said that he just have to be honest and sincere.
“Kailangan kung ano yung nasabi ko mapanindigan ko. Kita naman nila na hindi kami nagaway and we never fought para hindi maapektuhan ang relasyon namin sa mga bata,” he said.
“That’s what we promise to each other. Sabi namin hindi man sila nabigyan ng normal na pamilya pero we are happy dealing with the situation,” the actor said.
Agustin, 37 said that he and his children talk a lot on the phone if they do not meet. Just recently, he recalled teaching one of them how to sing the Filipino folk song “Atin cu pung singsing” via telephone.
Weekends are reserve for his kids Sebastian and Santiago, he said. But the actor reiterated in a previous interview that he and the mother of his kids are not getting back together but they remain friends.
“I see my kids on weekends. Mahirap pero dapat masaya ‘yung weekends. Hindi pwedeng puro disiplina ang gagawin ko sa kanila. Lumalaki na sila at ibang stage na. Kailangan marinig nila kung paano mabuhay sa mundo,” he said.
Resto business
Asked how rich he is now, Agustin said: “Ang yaman is relative dahil galing talaga ako sa wala. Zero. May mga utang din ako nuon. Naging mascot ako at naging tindero rin.”
Agustin started small in the restaurant business. With perseverance and had work, the actor now owns about 40 restaurants and a school.
In July 2015, Agustin went back to school and took up a masters degree in entrepreneurship.at the Ateneo de Manila University.
“It’s a corporation. I’m hands on with operations. Mag-aaral pa ako ng culinary and certificate courses because I feel I work best in the creative part of the business,” the actor said. “We are all partners but when we expand we invite people to invest.”
Aside from being a restaurateur, Agustin said that he still loves show business. He is currently seen in the daily Kapamilya afternoon fantasy-drama “Super D” which stars his good friend Dominic Ochoa. The show will end on July 15, 2016.
“When they presented the concept pa lang, that I’ll be working with Dominic (Ochoa), ang sarao ng pakiramdam na you will be working again with somebody that youare close with. Yung pupunt ka sa set na alam mong hindi na kayo dapat magtantyahan kung magkakasundo kayo sa trabaho,” he added.
Agustin plays the role of a villain in the teleserye and his boys are having a good laugh at his costume in the program.
“They noticed my costume. I’m too old na raw,” said the actor, who explained them in jest that he has to wear the costume so that he can pay their tuition.
New school
Agustin has also built Entreplab School in Paranaque City, a unique senior high school dedicated to teaching students the entrepreneurial mindset through its offerings in its highly anticipated technical-vocational..
It offers Cookery, Food and Beverage and Hospitality, the Accounting and Business Management (ABM), and General Academic Services (GAS).
“Whether they want to be an honor student, a model employee or an entrepreneur, Entreplab School responds to their success through an authentic, progressive and collaborative learning environment,” said Agustin, 2012 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
“I hope that our future students realize this once in a lifetime opportunity before them. A chance to change the problems of the past and be optimistic of a future they can create. I can’t even begin to explain how much passion I have for this endeavor – I just know that we have a dedicated group of faculty, business partners and industry leaders willing to provide them creative resources to be our country’s next success stories. This is an opportunity for you, take it – take it and succeed,” he added.