Moments with Jose Mari Chan
By Jun F. Reynales
Of giving gifts, Christmas carols, and of the upcoming holiday season, it was a chanced opportunity to feature and talk with the country’s iconic musical celebrity Jose Mari Chan, as he shares his private and intimate side with us The Philippine Business and News last November 24, 2018 at his office.
It was a relaxing and inspiring weekend to say the least, as our team organized our rigs for this exclusive coverage headed by Monsi Serrano to conduct this exclusive feature. Monsi and Jose Mari have been friends of more than 20 years, and have been reminiscing the days of fun days all the way back in Baguio City. Jose Mari acknowledged how time flew and it was glad to see his old friends who both love poetry and art.
The day focused on the stories regaled to us with Jose Mari as he shared his satisfied life with his five children and eight grandchildren.
“Cherish every moment of your life experiences”, he added, as all these will never again happen and come to past. “You see, when you take for granted things your moment seeing your son’s first step, that will never happen again regrettably” as he shared that intimate moment with his family.
Another life lesson he shared with us was “whenever you’re in a relationship, always as much as possible to stretch every minute of it to last”. For the young generations today, he felt that they want everything instantly and that seems to be their ways. But he cautioned, “to take time by enjoying the journey and appreciate all the value taught by our own experiences.”
Apart from that, he also intimated with us a part of his private side wherein he proudly told us that he serves in Sunday mass as lector and lay person in one of the exclusive chapel in Makati. He does this because he believe that whatever he and his family have now are from God and that the service he renders with God, being a devote Roman Catholic, is nothing compared to the blessings he receives.
This balances his life with his sugar milling and trading business in Negros Occidental, his Makati office operations, his schedules on his singing engagements and concerts.
Incidentally, he will have a concert in Australia the following week, and a schedule concert in Solaire Resort & Casino this coming December 22 entitled “Jose Mari Chan: Going Home to Christmas”.
Such a wonderful serendipity… It was a once in a lifetime experience to be with such an accomplished and talented man like Jose Mari Chan, who remains humble and very accommodating. After some selfies moments with us, he gifted us with his personally-autographed CDs of his songs. Those CDs are treasures to keep, an advance Christmas gift from an awesome person that we will all cherish forever.
The precious encounter up close and personal with Jose Mari Chan, was truly a blessing for our THEPHILBIZNEWS Team as we personally heard his life lessons for everyone to hear and learn from. He also shares his Christmas wish and prayer for all our country and all the Filipinos around the world, that is, to always live the spirit of Christmas in our hearts!
