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Coco Martin looks back on humble beginnings, debut as director and producer

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Mary Ann Bardinas

Aside from starring in and directing today’s long-running teleserye of ABS-CBN Studios&#x27; “<a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/batangquiapo" target="_blank">FPJ’s Batang Quiapo</a>,” Coco Martin has also been busy with his new business venture, which he just launched recently. With how seemingly hectic his schedule has been nowadays, it indeed came off as a surprise for his followers when he appeared in the latest episode of Ogie Diaz’s online talk show on YouTube. The seasoned showbiz reporter commenced the interview by asking the actor-director if it saddens him that his birthday is on November 1, which is the day when most Filipinos commemorate the lives of our dearly departed. Coco told him that he actually doesn’t celebrate his birthday anymore ever since he was nine years old due to an unforgettable and heartbreaking experience he had. <div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="480" referrerPolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T04hpXgImsQ" title="Coco Martin, ba’t nga ba ayaw nagse-celebrate ng birthday? | Ogie Diaz" width="1242"></iframe></div>He recounted how his mom was so thrilled to be reunited with him after quite some time when he visited her in Arayat, Pampanga. Since it was his birthday, she made sure to make it extra special by organizing a birthday party for him and inviting their relatives to come over. However, instead of being fun, it turned into a traumatic experience for him as no one from their expected guests showed up, so they ended up getting frustrated and giving away the food that she had prepared to the neighbors. “Hindi ako masaya ‘pag birthday ko tapos may party, gano’n. ‘Di ba ‘yong iba parang nag-e-enjoy? Ako hindi eh. Para bang gustong-gusto ko siyang matapos na,” he confessed. In fact, he would even ask people close to him to not bother surprising him anymore since he’s already content with eating the food he likes and doing the things he wants to do afterwards. Aside from the trauma, he also feels ‘ashamed’ whenever he’s given attention, which could be surprising for a celebrity like him. And that is completely the same case whenever he appears in front of crowd, such as in awarding ceremonies where he has to receive accolades and in his public performances. So, in order for him to pacify and conceal his jitters, he would put on sunglasses that he would only take off once he feels relaxed. Although his parents decided to call it quits when he and his two younger full siblings were still young, Coco said that he never resented them nor regretted that it happened, as he apparently believed that it happened for a reason. “Hindi rin ako nagtanim ng sama ng loob sa mga magulang ko no’ng nag-separate sila tapos nagkahiwa-hiwalay kaming magkakapatid. Kung hindi rin nangyari ‘yon, wala rin ako ngayon dito. Hindi ako magpupursigi,” he said. “Siguro that time, kung maayos ‘yong pamilya ko, naalagaan kami nang tama ng mga magulang ko, siguro maayos ‘yong buhay namin. Baka normal ako, ‘di ba? Hindi ganito ‘yong drive ko.” Many people are probably wondering why, in the more than 20 years that he has been in show business, he has only discussed his grandma in most of his interviews that go over his family and personal life. This is due to the fact that Lola Matilde raised him singlehandedly when his parents separated. He personally witnessed how his grandma, who used to be a takilyera or ticket seller at a cockpit and a vendor, persevered and worked hard in pursuit of not just providing the needs of their family, but also giving them a good and bright future. Even though earning money was really difficult, she amazed everyone that she was still able to afford buying a house in Novaliches. Being her companion in running errands and her most-trusted right-hand in her dealings, he had first-hand experiences of almost everything that his Lola Matilde had to go through. He related, “Gusto kong dumating ‘yong pagkakataon na sana balang araw ako ang pumalit sa posisyon ng lola ko. Kasi lola ko, pati ‘yong mga pamangkin niya, siya lahat nagtaguyod, pati sa aming mga apo niya. Kaya siya ang naging inspirasyon ko talaga.” Drawing inspiration from his lola’s being “madiskarte,” Coco imparted that his first-ever investment when he started earning through his acting stints in indie films was a tricycle. It allowed him to earn extra income that he used to pay for their bills and other expenses, as well as to put food on their table during the times when he didn’t have work. Aside from being an indie actor and tricycle driver, he also worked as a waiter in restaurants and hotels. Unlike other people from broken families whose lives became a mess, Coco chose to be strong after his parents separated. Being the eldest among his two full siblings and two half-siblings, he made it his responsibility to be their source of strength and the one to lead them on the right path, especially now that they have families of their own.  “Kinukwento ko nga, nahihiya ako kasi siyempre pinasok ko sila sa ‘Batang Quiapo.’ Baka mamaya, isipin ng mga tao, ‘naku, porket kapatid ipinasok.’ Ang sabi ko naman, ‘yong ibang tao nga natutulungan ko,” he shared. “Bilang Pilipino, tutulungan mo rin ‘yong kapatid mo.” Since he has given his brothers Ryan and Ronwaldo the opportunity to work with him in “<a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/batangquiapo" target="_blank">FPJ’s Batang Quiapo</a>,” he reminds them to always do their best in everything that they do. He said, “Pero lagi kong sinasabi talaga, ang pinaka ayoko sa lahat ‘yong mapapahiya ako. Kasi ayokong masira ‘yong pangalan ko sa mga boss, sa mga tao. Ayoko ‘yong baka mag-feeling-feeling sa set eh o magtamad-tamaran o hindi marunong umarte.” Although they are his brothers, Coco revealed that he doesn’t give Ryan and Ronwaldo special treatment, may it be at their home or on the set of “<a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/batangquiapo" target="_blank">FPJ’s Batang Quiapo</a>.” In fact, they do not stay at his tent but with their castmates. He would tell them, “Mas lalo kayong mag-ingat dahil kapatid ko kayo. Kasi konting mali n’yo lang, magre-reflect sa akin, ‘di ba? Magmumukhang kinukunsinti ko kayo, o kaya ganyan kayo, mayabang kayo dahil ako kapatid n’yo.” However, even though he’s strict towards his siblings, it was revealed that he gave each one of them a house and a business opportunity, which were franchises of the brands that he endorses. Coco disclosed that since it has been his dream for them to be ultimately together, his parents and siblings, along with their respective families, used to live with them at his house. Sadly, their family encountered conflicts in the long run, which really got him disappointed and made him decide to just provide them with separate abodes inside the same village. The first part of the interview concluded with Coco uttering, “Naniniwala kasi ako sa hardwork e. Minsan, kapag ‘yong hindi ko nararamdaman na pinaghirapan ko, hindi ko rin nararamdaman ‘yong success. Pero kapag lumulusot ako sa butas ng karayom, ang sarap ng pakiramdam kapag lumusot, kapag nagtagumpay, ‘yong reward iba ‘yong pakiramdam.” Watch out for the second part of Ogie’s interview with Coco on his next vlog!

Watch as Coco Martin looks back on his humble beginnings prior to fame and the start of his careers as a director, line producer, and entrepreneur.