DOC  AGA  IS  IN,  EARLIER  THIS  TIME


MANILA, APRIL 27, 2008 (STAR) By Jerry Donato - Doc Aga is opening his clinic on an earlier timeslot starting tonight at 6 on ABS-CBN’s That’s My Doc to reach out to younger audiences. Aga Muhlach, father of twins Atasha and Andres and husband of Charlene Gonzalez, welcomes this change with open arms and his signature bedimpled smile. His twins can now watch their dad without staying late at night as was the case in the show’s previous 9:30 Sunday evening slot. Besides, That’s My Doc is gearing to be a kid-friendly and family-oriented program.

“It was kind of late for my kids to watch my show then,” says Aga, who is also topbilling the Star Cinema and Viva Films’ movie When Love Begins opposite Anne Curtis. “My work as an actor is something we don’t talk about. It’s not that I don’t want them to follow in my footsteps. They just have to discover that.” Soon, Atasha and Andres will find out how big their dad is as a star. As a person, Aga doesn’t bring work at home and won’t allow it to meddle in his family life. Whenever he is in the privacy of his home either in Alabang or in Batangas, he wants to focus his attention on his children and spend quality time with them. That’s something fame and fortune cannot buy.

Co-stars Bayani Agbayani and Pokwang, who are parents themselves, share Aga’s happiness over this development. Bayani and Pokwang say they have been waiting for this and are excited their children can follow their show week after week.

Since That’s My Doc is getting more wholesome this time, there will also be changes in the presentation of the characters and treatment of episodes. Remember: Kids are impressionable. The cast will avoid naughtiness in their actions and dialogues. Pokwang’s character will involve herself in meaningful activities like playing part-time assistant to Doc Aga, especially when Greta (Lara Quigaman) is out of the clinic. Roderick Paulate will tone down the “flamboyant” personality of Major Ret, although he says his character has never confirmed nor denied Major Ret’s girlie tendencies. He adds Major Ret lets the audiences titillate their imagination about the retired major’s true identity.

Nova Villa says it has been a practice among themselves — comedians — to censor some words and repartee that might offend their viewers. Parents need not worry about the content and the quality of viewing their young wards get from the show.

Making That’s My Doc closer to the hearts of the young are Celine Lim of Patayin Sa Sindak Si Barbara, Jairus Aquino of Kung Fu Kids, Bronson of Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo and Sophia Baars of Princess Sara. They will hopefully bring laughter and remind televiewers of kids’ innocence in looking at things. Celine’s Butching will play big sister to Bgy. Tabuneknek’s new kids on the block.

That’s My Doc revolves around the stories of the people of Bgy. Tabuneknek. The pediatrician and philanthropist in Doc Aga will put up his own center for kids. Aunt Ocs (Villa) and girlfriend Greta (Quigaman) will help Doc Aga realize his dream.

Major Ret will surprisingly offer his store as the home of Doc Aga’s center. This act of charity is Major Ret’s sole ticket to local politics. The community, says business head Alou Almaden, will be strengthened by the presence of the kids and the pediatrician. Doc Aga will be a model figure to the kids. That’s My Doc will somehow help kids overcome their fears and misconception about doctors.

Is getting an Anak TV Seal next for Aga and company? Let‘s find out sooner or later.

Morning’s Glory CONVERSATIONS With Ricky Lo Sunday, April 27, 2008

His friends call him Morning not only because that’s the English word for Aga but because it seems to be forever a bright “morning” in his life and career, although that’s not to say that he has never gone through his own “dark nights.” He leads a relatively quiet — and, as he himself said, “very normal” — life with wife Charlene Gonzalez and their twins Atasha and Andres.

Yes, Aga Muhlach is more blessed than other people (including most of his contemporaries) even in his career. He’s in a class all by himself and that’s not a cliché. Without any doubt, he is reigning Romantic Hero of Philippine Movies, “loveteam-less,” and a sure hit when paired with any leading lady, including the likes of Lea Salonga (Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal), Vilma Santos (Nag-iisang Bituin), Lorna Tolentino (Bayarang Puso), Regine Velasquez (Dahil May Isang Ikaw), Carmina Villarroel and Maricel Laxa (Hindi Kita Malilimutan), Aiko Melendez (May Minamahal) and Sharon Cuneta (Kung Ako Na lang Sana).

All those hit romance-dramas were directed by Joey Javier Reyes who’s now also directing Aga in When Love Begins, joint venture of Star Cinema and Viva Films, which pairs Aga with yet another leading lady, Anne Curtis (see related story on Page E-4), in a story about two people who savor loving and living but frown on commitment.

What more is there to know about Aga and the glory he has been enjoying all these years (and, from the looks of it) in the many more years to come (even if, as he said, he plans to retire young)?

Here are the “who, what, where, when, how” of Aga’s life and career.

WHO

• Who are the most important people in your life?

“My wife and my kids. Do I pamper them with material things? No, I don’t. I just see to it that I spend quality time with them. Except for taping once a week for TV show (That’s My Doc, Saturday nights on ABS-CBN), I do only one movie every year. I spend my free time at home or out of town, always with my wife and kids.”

• Who do you think will be the next Aga Muhlach?

“Hmmmm. There’s only one Aga Muhlach, as there’s only one, say, Christopher de Leon or Richard Gomez. Each one is unique in his own way. I’m just happy and grateful that I’m still around, being given an opportunity to do nice movies. I’m thankful that ABS-CBN and Star Cinema, and the advertisers, have confidence in me. All these years, I feel the same. My lifestyle may have improved but I haven’t really changed basically.”

WHAT

• What do you value most in your life?

“Definitely not money. Money makes things easy for us but I don’t let it rule my life. Nobody brings his money to his grave, right? At the end of the day, Diyos lang talaga ang kasama mo. It’s only God who can put your life in order. If you don’t put God at the center of your life, walang mangyayari sa buhay mo. That’s why I’m so happy now and I feel so blessed because I know that God is with me. He makes His presence felt all the time.”

• What is it about beauty queens that you get attracted to them? (Charlene was one of the Top Six during the 1994 Miss Universe pageant held here. Other beauty queens linked to Aga were Ruffa Gutierrez, Second Princess in the 1993 Miss World contest; and Dayanara Torres of Puerto Rico, 1993 Miss Universe.)

“I don’t deny that, pero nagkataon lang talaga. I don’t deny na marami akong naging involvement noon and all I can say is that they were all nice; the experience was unforgettable. Until I found the one and only queen of my life, Charlene.”

WHERE

• Where is your Achilles’ Heel?

“You mean the most vulnerable part of me? Yes, my heart. Masyado akong mapusong tao kaya madali akong maapektuhan. I am ruled by my heart, but I also try to use this (pointing to his head). Would you believe if I tell you that it hurts me to see anarchy on the streets? Everyone seems to be doing his own crazy thing now. Because of the advancement in technology, nabawasan na ang person-to-person relationship. Things have become impersonal. Instead of having easy conversation, families are glued to the TV set. That’s one thing I don’t want to happen in my family.”

• Where, if ever, do you want to retire (maybe 40 years from now)?

“Retire at 40? No way! I want to retire young. To enjoy myself? Not really. From Day One naman, it hasn’t been all work for me. I work and enjoy myself at the same time. It hasn’t been work and save, work and save, work and save. I don’t believe in that. What you work for, you enjoy it. Sabi ko nga, when you die, you die alone; you don’t take anything with you to your grave. Like, why do I have to wait when I’m 60 to start buying, for example, a nice sports car? Why should I travel when I’m too old to walk? I do things while I can still enjoy them, like collecting paintings by Filipino artists, mga antique na santo. I travel with my family as often as I can. I love to build houses. Mahilig ako sa bahay because I’m basically taong-bahay, a homebody.”

WHEN

• When love begins (as the title of your movie says), what are the signs?

“Kapag may kilig ka. When you can’t get her out of your mind... when you keep imagining about her...when you miss her all the time...when you make an extra effort of calling her...when you want to be with her all the time...when life seems to be meaningless without her around. Have I ever been heartbroken? Oo naman! If ever I broke anybody’s heart, I didn’t mean to. Sorry po! But I can say that none of the women I’ve been involved with has any ill feeling toward me. You can ask them. Kung may pagkukulang ako, mayroon din naman silang pagkukulang. Have I ever been unfaithful in thoughts, maybe not in deed? I’m not a saint. I must say...yes! But I try to stay away from temptation. At the first sign of temptation, I try to stay away. Some people ask me, ‘Do you fall in love with your leading ladies?’ I should say, ‘Yes, I do!,’ but that’s only for the duration of the shooting. Even Charlene once asked me that and I told her that, yes, I’m protective toward my leading lad(ies) and try to be close to them because how can we be credible as lovers onscreen kung naiilang kami sa isa’t-isa? I told Charlene, ‘Stop asking me about it’.”

• When are you happiest, saddest?

“I’m happiest when I’m home, with my family. I’m happiest when I’m promoting a movie, like now, because I do it only once a year. I’m saddest when, again you might not believe me, I realize the sad state of our country. Think of our country then and think of our country now and you will know what I mean.

HOW

• How do you cope with the loss of a loved one?

“You don’t get over the loss of a loved one, you just learn how to live with it. You just try to move on with your life. When I lost my mother (Anita, to lung cancer, late last year. — RFL), it was very painful but at the same time, maski masakit ‘yon, masayang-masaya ako because I was sure that she’s better off where she is now — no more pain, no more bills to worry about, no more problems to bother her...no more! I saw my mom in pain so while I was shattered by her death, I was relieved that she was going somewhere where there’s no suffering.”

• How do you look at yourself 10 or 20 years from now?

“I’m turning 39 on Aug. 12, so I’ll be 50 by then. My twins will be 16 years old na. By then, I want to see them growing up like any typical teenagers. I don’t shield my kids from reality. Charlene and I are bringing up our kids a little differently from how we were brought up. I grew up comfortably, all right, but maybe not as comfortably as the way my kids are growing up now. But we don’t spoil our kids with material things. Unlike other kids, they don’t even have a PSP (Play Station Portable). I want them to experience the outside world. In Alabang (Ayala Heights where the Muhlachs live. — RFL) or in our vacation place in Batangas, they are allowed to play outside; okay lang na madumihan or madungisan sila. Sometimes, I even leave them alone as they help the laundry-woman wash clothes. We have a swimming pool but they prefer to take a bath sa timba (big pail). Kung saan sila masaya, doon sila...with our guidance, of course!”