Raymart open to a ‘second chance’

MANILA, Philippines - Raymart Santiago has a new obsession — skydiving.

It’s what keeps him busy whenever he’s not taping for his TV series. He started getting hooked on it last year and he’s been doing it almost every weekend ever since. His Instagram is also dominated by his skydiving adventures.

“Weekends tumatalon ako. (What I get out of it is) adrenalin. It’s actually safe, kung isipin mo. It may not look like a relaxing activity, but for us, it’s relaxing. Nakakalimutan mo ang problema mo. Nakaka-release ng stress,” the lead star of GMA 7’s primetime soap opera titled Second Chances told The STAR in a recent interview. “I don’t like going out… going to parties. (If not skydiving) I’m usually just at home. I’d rather invite friends to come over.”

After the much-publicized controversies involving him and estranged wife Claudine Barretto, he described his current state as “okay na,” although he admitted that there’s still something missing. Like any parent, he misses having his children around all the time. Last Valentine’s, the actor posted on his Instagram a sweet V-day greeting for his two children Sabina and Santino.

“Close ako dun kasi. Palagi kong kasama dati. I miss the time spent with them, malling, shopping, playing with them. Basically, my life revolved around them, then biglang nawala. Mahirap, pero ganun talaga,” he said.

In his teleserye Second Chances, which is directed by Laurice Guillen, Raymart plays an adventurous restaurant owner who earns a second chance at love and at fixing his topsy-turvy personal life upon meeting the character of Jennylyn Mercado. The series also stars Rafael Rosell and Camille Prats.

While not discounting a second chance at love in real life, Raymart said that he’s not entertaining it at this point. Amid rumors linking him to his co-stars, he said that he doesn’t want to complicate his situation by entering into another romantic relationship. “Right now, it hasn’t crossed my mind dahil parang magpapasok ako ng relationship na problema pa rin di ba? I’m not yet annulled... I might just ruin someone else’s life because of that.”

There’s another second chance though that he’s hoping for. Raymart said, “With my partner, my ex-partner na sana magkaroon ng second chance kahit papaano — hindi ko sinasabi magkakabalikan — pero sana mabuo yung friendship, kahit papaano, since we have kids. Medyo mabigat din yung pinagdaanan namin. Darating din tayo dun pero yun yung pinagdadasal ko na matapos na rin lahat. That’s what I’m praying for — a second chance to be friends, a second chance to be good parents.”

When asked if he has any advice for fathers, or any parent for that matter, going through the same situation as his, he simply said, “Just hang on. Mahalin lang nila anak nila.”