Nature and flowers in particular are his passion. Happiness for Antonio, 39, is going to his rest house in Caliraya to look at the trees, watch the ducks, gaze at the flickering lights of fireflies and tend to his blooms. Since 1996 when he opened Mabolo in the San Antonio Arcade, this 5’10" entrepreneur has applied his artistic touch to each and every floral display that he supplies. His style, he says, is to blend the spirit of the giver with that of the receiver, and to tailor these with the occasion.
Terry’s Selection is another business that Antonio owns. This delicatessen on Makati’s Pasong Tamo Extension features wines and foods that remind him of the carefree summers he used to spend running through the vineyards of Puerto de Santa Maria in Andalucia, Spain. There, among the lime, lemon and olive trees, he learned all about the many varieties of wines and tasty products that his deli now supplies.
What is your current state of mind?
Ecstasy. I look forward to tomorrow.
Who greets you when you get home?
My wonderful dog, Radar. He waits for me with his tail wagging. He knows when I’m happy and when I’m hurting. We played in the rain last Sunday.
Which living person do you admire most?
In the field of arts, I admire Bencab, a very dear friend. I am fascinated by his passion for painting.
Who or what is the greatest love of your life?
My special nephew, Andrew, who has Down’s Syndrome and lives in Houston.
What is your passion?
All of my senses are sensitive. I love flowers and everything related to plants and landscapes. Music with provocative lyrics. Food: preparing salads and making them as beautiful as flowers.
What is your most fervent wish?
I am a Filipino. I want a better life for everybody, especially for those who make an honest living.
How do you resolve your conflicts?
I don’t like to analyze. Like a crab, I go sideways into my shell and pray that I avoid conflicts.
What hobbies do you like most?
Outings on my brother’s 22-foot fiberglass speedboat and my father’s banca. We have a house in Caliraya where I go to look at fireflies, observe migratory birds, see the wild blooms of the camia, watch the full moon and other natural wonders.
What book influenced your life?
Technical books about specific palms and orchids; National Geographic magazine; The Book of the Rose with its story of how the rose has been a part of life even before Cleopatra’s days.
Which hero of fiction can you most identify with?
Santa Claus to my nephews and nieces.
How do you start your day?
I enjoy my mornings: just wake up, stretch, have my coffee and greet Radar. These are my most precious moments. Ideas flow and I am stimulated by my personal thoughts and prayer; then I share the glory of the morning with my text mates and my phone brigade.
What is your motto?
Love life.
What do you most value in your friends?
That they allow me into their lives. I am not selective but I am shy.
If you had the chance to change something in your life, what would that be?
Nothing. I have not once felt any regret.
What is your greatest extravagance?
Life. The love of friends. Wine, joie de vivre, comfort.
What words or phrases do you overuse?
Oh, dear. Come on, guys, life is too short.
Which historical character would you like to have been?
Someone who lived in the age of enlightenment of the Renaissance period where flowers were abundant; or maybe a Pardo de Tavera who documented plants in the Philippines.
Name a moment that brings back happy memories.
Climbing the santol trees; being on the roof; running in the vineyards with my younger brother.
What does your dad often say to you?
Use your wisdom.
What is your favorite occupation?
Aside from my flowers, I love creating poetic garden spaces.
Name an embarrassing moment at work?
A client came in and he was in a hurry. We asked his name and he said, "Don’t you know that I am the Ambassador?"
What do you most do with your hands?
Create.