Aga Muhlach wants kids to enjoy normalcy of life outside showbiz

Aga Muhlach is open for his twins with Charlene Gonzales to enter showbiz, but at the same time, he’s happy that they’ve so far stayed out of it.

Atasha and Andres are now abroad pursuing their college studies in the United Kingdom and Spain, respectively.

When The STAR asked during a group interview on Monday if he felt relieved that they had not — at least, not yet — followed their parents into the entertainment industry, Aga said, “Yeah because they will have all the time in the world if they want to. I want them to do that sa sarili nilang decision and hindi dahil sa akin. Gusto ko rin mag-decision sila nasa tamang edad sila, nasa tamang pag-iisip kasi alam naman nila, because of my experience also, that it’s no joke, right?”

The actor says it’s the call of his children Andres and Atasha, who are now abroad for their college studies, to join showbiz.

Photos from Charlene Gonzales-Muhlach and Atasha Muhlach’s Instagram account

The 52-year-old actor recalled his share of highs and lows in his showbiz journey. He was launched as a teen heartthrob in the ‘80s via the movie Bagets.

“I started when I was 13, 14, and I went through a lot of ups and downs, I mean, people have forgotten that already,” he said.

“Siguro ang nakikita niyo lang ang ganda, the glitz and glamor, but along with that are hard work and hurt and pain, you know.

“So, it’s really their call kung gusto nila. Atasha wants, Andres wants to also.

“So, as they finish college or even now that they’re 20 years old — turning 21 this year — it’s really up to them if they want to start working now.”

Atasha, he noted, really wants to work. “Atasha would do anything eh, naka-revved na yan… For her, it’s work. It’s not glitz and glamour. So any opportunity na work, for example in the entertainment world, she would do that.”

Nevertheless, Aga wishes his kids to finish their schooling first, but he’s also the type of parent who will not meddle in his children’s choices when they reach a certain age.

“Alam nila gusto ko sila makatapos, to the point na kung ayaw nila mag-aral din, and gusto nila magtrabaho, it’s their call really because di naman talaga ako nakikialam sa kanila. It’s a promise I made that at a certain age, I’m out. Parang I’ll just be there if they ask for me,” Aga told The STAR.

For now, he’s encouraging them to enjoy their independence and normalcy of life outside the world of showbiz.

“I think, now that they’re alone, they’re by themselves, ngayon lang sila nakakaramdam ng independence nila. Out of the country and then on their own sila. Sila magluluto, sila maglalaba, sila magliligpit, they take the train, they take the bus, they walk, alam na nila lahat yan. They’re normal people there. So sinasabi ko, enjoy your normalcy because once you enter this industry, you lose that really,” Aga said.

“Kaya di ako naniniwala sa sinasabi ng mga artista na, you know, leave my privacy, my private life (alone), no, no, no. Once you enter there… ganun talaga (that’s how things are). You have to give it to them (public) kasi sinusuportahan ka nila. You have to give it to them. Kaya lang minsan, now, it’s different because you have the so-called bashers and all but you know, parang wala naman yun. That’s one out of 10 or a hundred out of a million,” he added.

During the interview, Aga was told that his kids never fail to generate attention online to think they’re not even active on social media. And save for some endorsements, they’ve pretty much stayed low-key.

Asked if this was intentional, he said, “Hindi sila active on social media, pare-pareho kami (laughs). I think I was able to, without really doing it, parang dahil di ko ginagawa, di nila nakita so di nila ginawa.”

His children were actually allowed to use a cellphone when they turned 16.

“Growing up, wala silang telephone. (They only got) their cellphones when they hit 16. But they never asked for it naman kasi yun talaga ang ginawa ko sa family ko, mula nung nag-asawa ako, nagka-anak ako, medyo nag-lay low din talaga ako. I would do one film a year. I’d limit all my work and so on so I could be full-time with them,” shared Aga.

“So now, when I look back, wala akong pagsisisi. Sa awa ng Diyos, salamat naman at nakapagbigay ako ng sobrang oras sa mga anak ko.”

He and wife Charlene also chose not to expose them to their jobs when they were younger.

“Parang normal na normal lang buhay namin talaga dito sa bahay kasi di ko naman inuuwi trabaho ko even before. Growing up, they didn’t go to my shootings and events like awards night or premiere nights. The first time they joined me on a premiere night was when they turned 18,” Aga said.

As mentioned in a previous STAR interview, Aga doesn’t think there’s anything special in his  parenting style.

“Hindi naman ako magaling. Natuto din ako sa mga anak ko. Kahit sinong magulang hindi magaling, we all learn from our children from the day they’re born up to every year na tumatanda sila. You learn also how to adjust and how to be a better father or to be a better parent. Ganun lang. Simple lang naman. There’s no secret to that. It’s all about love, attention. Kailangan magbuhos ka rin ng oras para sa pamilya.”

Meanwhile, Aga is expected to be busier in the coming days with shows like Masked Singer Pilipinas Season 2 — a collaboration between TV5, Viva and Cignal — where he sits as a judge alongside Matteo Guidicelli, Kim Molina, Cristine Reyes and Bayani Agbayani. The premiere episode airs tonight at 6 on TV5.

“I’ve decided I’ll be busy while they’re (Atasha and Andres) not here. I’ll start getting busy in the months to come again,” said Aga.

In a way, this is how he’s coping with the so-called “empty nest syndrome.”

He added, “Sabi ko nga, basta’t kasama ko asawa ko, OK ako. I told my wife, yung anak natin parang tayo, hihiwalay tayo sa mga magulang natin, di ba? So yung mga anak natin, hihiwalay din sa atin yan. At the end of the day, it’s just you and me. It’s the young lady that I married that will be with me forever.”

Aga also shared that Charlene wants to resume working as well.

“We’ve talked about it. Sabi ko, ‘My loves, if you really want to start working, it’s really okay, I’m not stopping you, go ahead.’ Pero medyo kinakabahan siya, but she wants to. People don’t know or TV stations don’t know that she’s willing to work again. Well, I hope they find out that she’s game.”