Good for Marvin

Marvin Agustin gifted himself with a two-week "purely pleasure" trip to New York almost a month ago. It was a much-deserved and much-needed break for the hardworking film and TV actor who realized early this year that he needed some balance in his work-filled life.

Life, for many many years, meant work, work and more work for the good natured young man. "Since I started my showbiz career, I can count on one hand the times when I was given permission to take a relatively long vacation. Not that I regret working this hard, but I guess there comes a point in one’s life when you just needed to be in a different place, breathing different air," he says.

The US trip also was an opportune time for Marvin to recharge his energies and to refocus on his life. "For two weeks, I made sure I didn’t think of work. All I wanted was to relax, experience new places, meet new people, and visit old friends whom I haven’t seen for a long time," he adds.

Marvin enjoyed theater-hopping tremendously, and made sure he got good seats for Mamma Mia, Rent, Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast, and the latest hit on Broadway, Aida. "Theater is amazing, it’s something I feel all actors should experience at least once in their lifetime. I look forward to being part of a local theater production in the near future," he says.

Marvin also took time out to visit Washington DC, Minnesota and stayed in Los Angeles for two days before flying back to Manila.

The year didn’t start out quite right for Marvin. He admits feeling bad when he, together with some of the most gifted talents of ABS-CBN, were booted out of the daily noontime show Magandang Tanghali Bayan to give way for some really mediocre ones to enter the TV scene.

But he makes it clear that he never holds grudges against anyone. "I’m not the type na nagkikimkim ng sama ng loob," he asserts, before taking a deep breath before he continues "sa dami na rin ng nadaanan ko sa buhay, I’ve learned to be more accepting about the not so nice things that come my way. I’ve learned to turn adversity into opportunities for me to become a better and more mature individual."

It’s this kind of thinking that makes Marvin not only a well-loved figure in the business, but a highly-respected co-worker among his peers. Ai-Ai de las Alas, who plays mom to Marvin and a dozen other children in the soon-to-be-released Ang Tanging Ina, has only good words for him.

"Kahit sinong nanay, kung katulad ni Marvin ang magiging anak, siguradong wala nang mahihiling pa dahil he’s really a dutiful son. Kita mo naman, totoo ang kabaitan ni Marvin. Hindi lang mabuting tao at anak, tapat pang kaibigan."

Marvin recently gifted his mom a beach lot at the posh Punta Fuego estates in Nasugbu, Batangas, his third major property acquisition. He now lives alone in a bachelor’s pad somewhere in the Wack Wack area. He chose a unit in the higher floors so he can see the city skyline from his bedroom. "It’s like being absolutely free and open when I’m up there... alone."

Marvin’s life is an open book in showbiz circles. At a time when his father had to pay his dues for committing a capital offense, the very young Marvin took the cudgels as breadwinner for the family. Of course, everyone also knows that God smiled at Marvin and blessed him with a lof of good breaks.

Not only did he become successful in the acting front, he also invested his hard-earned savings wisely. Aside from the Mister Donut chains he owns, Marvin has also put up a food company which he calls Ricecapades, specializing in rice-toppings. He now owns six branches in key locations in the metropolis.

His passion to learn more about his chosen craft has also pushed Marvin to enrol in a short-term certificate course called Management of the Arts at the Asian Institute of Management which he painstakingly attended despite many conflicts with his erratic showbiz schedules.

Marvin Agustin has learned how to manage his time well. After Ang Tanging Ina, the movie fans will see him in the new Moral where he plays the highly intellectual son of a homosexual father (to be played by Nonie Buencamino) and a very understanding mom ( Eula Valdes).

But there’s no doubt that Agustin is happiest and most relaxed when he’s taping for Whattamen. That’s because he’s in the company of his closest friends in the business: Dominic Ochoa and Ai-Ai de las Alas. The comedy program is on its second year now, and he doesn’t see it as work because the cast is always having so much fun. "That’s what I like in show business. I can mix work and fun." he beams.

Marvin Agustin is back on track, and he’s absolutely headed into the fast lane again. That’s good for a nice guy like him.