MANILA, Philippines — Richard Gomez and Aga Muhlach shared the life lessons they imparted to their children, who are also in the showbiz limelight.
“I always tell Juliana, my daughter, that when you have to do something, always give your best,” the actor shared.
Juliana is Richard’s unica hija with his wife, Lucy Torres.
Aga, meanwhile, said, “I’ve always been open about it — it’s just really kindness. Just be kind to people always. Be fun, be nice, be happy. Everyone around is the same.”
The actor has twins with his wife, Charlene Gonzalez. Their children, Atasha and Andres, are both Viva Artists Agency talents.
The ‘90s heartthrobs were interviewed during a Century Tuna event. The endorsers of the tuna brand took on a fitness challenge and redefined what it’s like to be “Dadbods” under Superbods 2014 grand champion, Coach Mauro Lumba, as part of Century Tuna’s #TheBestYouStartsNow campaign.
Having their families as their support systems has also helped them reach their fitness goals. As Richard said, “My wife, when she saw me lose weight, she said, ‘I know that you’re handsome. But you’re more handsome now.’ Kulang pa yan. ‘Di pa lumalabas ang tunay ko na kagwapuhan. A little more.”
Richard disclosed that since joining the campaign, his pants have become four inches looser—from a 38 to a 34 waist size.
He shared that his journey wasn’t easy but it was fun. “More than feeling good, it’s really feeling better. At this age, we really have to work out more. We have to get that muscle up, and again, it feels better and stronger.”
The 58-year-old actor and politician furthered, “We’re no longer teenagers… So when the challenge came in, we said, ‘Can we really do this?’”
He and Aga, nevertheless, accepted the challenge and were delighted with the outcome. “Doing proper exercise and keeping a healthy lifestyle is very important to longevity,” Richard stated. “Because that’s what we want. We want to see our children grow up.”
“More than anything, Aga and I, we’ve always been active. Aga bikes a lot. I play badminton and do the fencing thing,” he added.
Aga, on the other hand, has lost 50 pounds since taking part in the fitness challenge.
“I think a lot of people can relate or (are) struggling with things like that — it was difficult,” Aga admitted. “All these years, I was always in hiding. My weight should be 170 pounds, and now I’m down to 200 pounds. So I have 30 pounds to go.
“There’s no deadline (for losing weight). Mahirap magtago sa buhay because of our body. I’m just happy we’re here now. We’re halfway there, we’re getting there.”
His advice for others who also want to start their fitness journey was: “Just start now and do it slowly. There will be no instant gratification, and it’s not gonna be easy because there will be failures along the way. But if you fail today, sleep. Tomorrow’s another day.”
Century Pacific Food, Inc. vice president and general manager for Branded Tuna and Vita Coco Business, Carlo Endaya, remarked, “Century Tuna has always stood for bringing out the healthiest version of people. We want everyone to feel good about their journey to wellness. Richard and Aga’s involvement in the campaign is a testament that fitness knows no age. No matter what stage you are in life, it’s never too late to make a change in your lifestyle.”