Pat Castillo: From jazz icon to lifestyle changer

MANILA, Philippines - When one mentions the name Pat Castillo, the inevitable association is with Jackie Magno, Eugene Villaluz, or Ding Mercado of Circus Band and the Minstrels. Few would associate her with Vice President Jojo Binay, Sarah Geronimo or Sharon Cuneta. This is because her affiliation with them is in one of her many other careers.

We met Pat recently at Jackie Magno’s show at the new Merk’s Place on Arnaiz opposite the Rennaissance Hotel. Starting with small talk, we asked Pat of her current activities and found she was busy with facilitating, mentoring and coaching. All three involve guiding the individual discover his fears, doubts and talents, while helping him improve on the positive and hurdle the negative. A lifestyle coach described her job akin to that of a sports coach saying, “I get to challenge my clients like no one else. I am their mentor, cheer leader and sounding board.” And obviously, the job is for one who loves people, has massive patience, and thrives on challenges. Pat has had movie stars, young girls preparing for a beauty pageant, political clients gearing up for an election. And for this job, Pat uses the name Patricia Castillo.    

Coaching and mentoring grew as a career in the US when organizational changes brought upon by mergers and acquisitions found the need for companies to prepare their key personnel for new challenges. Soon, its effects filtered down to the rank and file, and to individuals who found the exercise enhancing and inspiring. 

Pat relates one day getting interested in a book Coaching published by a behavioral institute in Australia, so off she went to Australia for lessons. Soon she was accepting clients who found out about her new career. “I realized I really liked performing in front of people, and that coaching was just another medium.”

Singing at Merk's Place

Obviously, Pat is a free spirit who goes where the wind brings her. She is still teaching at John Robert Powers institute in Manila (the famous American agency representing famous Hollywood personalities as Marilyn Monroe, Tyrone Power, Cary Grant and Lucille Ball). She has worked with Bookmark as producer of children’s audio books, the kundiman digital series, Bolipata Brothers, Ateneo Glee Club series which all won awards; and did commercial recordings for Viva’s albums of Sharon, Zsa Zsa Padilla and company, learning from Boss Vic del Rosario many unforgettable lessons. 

As if that wasn’t enough, she took up mediation and conflict resolution under Anabelle Abaya and soon became a conflict mediator handling cases in court. She found it very similar to coaching. However, footloose and fancy free as she is, Pat wanted to try out still another career and is in Thailand for a month and a half stint as a Hotel Reviewer while refusing a long-term contract. There are still many more roads to travel, many more bridges to cross.

She feels super blessed at the way things have fallen her way. Perhaps the best thing about Pat is that she minces no words with her clients. One unforgettable client was Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay when he was still mayor of Makati. In their sessions, recalls Pat, she told him he was sometimes overbearing in his posturing, in his treatment of certain people. Do not diminish the office, Pat advised Mayor Jojo. And he understood, as she noticed a subtle change in him. People have congratulated her for the makeover done him.

As a coach, Pat works in a collaborative manner. We attended her recent image workshop at Merk’s titled Lifestyle Change which dealt with matters of self-concept and how the non-verbal is still the best communicator through one’s smile and one’s posture. Participants included St. Benilde student and singer Roanne Mallari; communications officers of KPMG Karlo Oliquino, Katrina Flores, Maan Sarmiento; and Sharmaine Arnaiz. Sponsors were Victoria Jackson of the “no makeup makeup” of hypo-allergenic beauty products represented by Cate Aquino & Audielle de Castro, and hairstylist Geno Padillo. Call Merk’s at 701-2289 and 0917-9191136 for workshop schedules.