Madalas ay nagmamadali siyang pumunta sa kanyang sunod-sunod na meeting at sa kanyang mga gagawin sa dalawa niyang kompanya,
Futuretainment (para sa mga concerts) at MediaNation (para sa TV production at artist management); shooting ng kanyang pelikula (“Moron 5 at Crying Lady” sa Viva) o TV commercial (Knorr Cubes); at pagpapatakbo ng kanyang 17 restaurants sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa.
At pag-uwi niya ng bahay, si Marvin ay pumipreno na sa kanyang mga ginagawa at ninanamnam ang sarap ng buhay.
“I love to work, but it’s important to have balance in your life,” ani Marvin. “I read books. I cook. I eat. I swim with the kids.”
At hindi niya nilalabag ang kanyang never-on-Sunday rule.
Madalas na sinusulit niya ang weekends kasama ang kanyang kambal na anak na sina Sebastian at Santiago, ngayon ay anim at kalahating taong gulang na.
Sabi ni Mom Teresa: Marvin is “masinop (organized) at masipag (hardworking).”
Hirit naman ni Marvin: “I can be matipid (thrifty). I always want to know where my money goes.
I come from very humble beginnings. I know that it’s hard to be hard-up. Now that my family is living comfortably, I appreciate my earnings more.”
Pero hindi umano gahaman sa pera si Marvin. “Money shouldn’t be one’s driving force; it won’t make you happy in the end,” aniya. “It’s all about balance.”
Sanctuary
Ang bahay ni Marvin ay nasa 700-square meter property kung saan nakakahanap siya ng katahimikan kahit ito ay nasa gitna ng abalang siyudad.
“It’s my sanctuary,” ani Marvin. “The location is perfect. Since it’s in the periphery of the subdivision, we don’t hear the honking cars on the highway. It’s like being in a resort.”
“My trainer drops by three to four times a week. I run around the village and then go on suspension training. I have a gym ball at home,” aniya.
Matapos sumabak sa Thailand at Korea, pahinga muna si Marvin sa archery.
“The sport taught me that you have to work hard if you want to achieve anything of real value. There are no shortcuts. You need a good foundation, if you want to succeed in any endeavor.”
Napanganda rin ng archery ang kanyang tindig at porma at sa susunod ay plano naman niyang sumabak sa tennis.
Mula sa isang condo unit, lumipat dito si Marvin limang taon na ang nakakaraan.
Siya ay bagong ama pa lamang nang maisipan niyang iwanan na ang kanyang bachelor’s pad na hindi kid-friendly.
Naghanap siya ng bahay na mayroong pool at garden at mayroong espasyo para laruan ng kanyang kambal. “I had the garden spruced up and the swimming pool renovated.”
Inilarawan niya ang disenyo ng kanyang bahay na “old meets new.”
Paliwanag niya: “I maintained the 1970s look of the ceiling and the marble floors, then added a few modern pieces and lots of artwork.”
Ang mga gamit ay gawa nina Budji Layug at Kenneth Cobonpue, at ng Kish; may paintings nina Onib Olmedo, Olan Ventura, Martin Catolos, Emmanuel Garibay na nakasabit sa mga dingding.
At ang gray walls ay isang ideya ni Marvin: “While vacationing in Paris, I stumbled upon a quaint shop with gray walls,” aniya. “I so loved the color that I took a picture and copied it for the house.
This particular shade of gray makes the paintings pop out.”
Ang kanyang mga kaibigan umano ang nagturo sa kanya kaya nauwi sa kanyang bahay ang mga mamahaling painting collection at nadaragdagan ito kapag siya ay nangingibang bansa.
“I’ve been to the Louvre in Paris and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, but my favorite is the Tate Modern in London.
I’m partial to contemporary art. I plan to go back to England just for that,” ani Marvin.
Bonding time
Ang bumiyahe kasama ang kanyang kambal ay ang paborito niyang bonding activity.
Sa murang edad ay iminumulat na umano niya sa art ang kambal gayundin sa exotic cuisine.
“They’ve learned to eat sushi and sashimi. They can’t have fried chicken all the time.
When we dine out, they must try a new dish,” ani Marvin.
Kapag weekends ay nagluluto rin siya ng special na putahe para sa kanyang pamilya.
“I empty the contents of the refrigerator and cook cocido.”
Gaya ng maraming Pinoy ang mga niluluto ni Marvin ay ang mga putahe na may sabaw.
“I got that from my dad Danilo who loves tinola, sinigang, nilaga, misua …”
Si Marvin ay produkto ng International School for Culinary Arts and Hotel Management kaya siya ay tamang-tama sa latest campaign ng Knorr Cubes.
Halos 200 food experts lamang sa mundo ang pinayagan na magsuot ng Knorr chef’s uniform.
Si Marvin, na unang nagtrabaho bilang waiter sa Tia Maria, ang lider ngayon ng lumalagong restaurant business: Sumo Sam, John and Yoko, Mr. Kurosawa, Marciano’s, Johnny Chow, Komrad, Robotosan at Oyster Boy.
“We’re franchising now. We just opened Sumo Sam branches in Cebu and Davao,” ani Marvin. — Text at photos mula sa Inquirer