On other occasions, Tito Douglas has also been mistaken for Vilma Santos’ make-up artist (maybe because of his Afro hairdo then) and in the next breath tagged as her security guard when she had to make her way through a crowd of rowdy fans and he had no choice but to help push and shove people away from her.
That’s the thing about Tito Dougs – when in a pensive mood, one would think that he is stern and stoic. That, however, belies, his true character. Watch him break into a smile or laugh buoyantly and you get a glimpse at the heart of a person so lovable and easy to get along with.
All I knew of Tito Dougs then was that he was Richard’s manager. I hardly ever saw him speak/guest on TV shows. He struck me as someone who always chose to just stay in the background. The first time I consciously listened to him was when he was being interviewed by phone on the now-defunct Showbiz Lingo. Richard was in Germany at that time and Tito Dougs was being asked if there was any truth to the rumor that Richard was seeing me. He denied any knowledge or he simply refused to give out any information, not because he had nothing to tell them or he was kept in the dark, but simply because he chose not to pre-empt Richard’s response on whatever issue he had to face. He respects his talents enough to let them have the last say, be it for a movie, a project, more so when it comes to private matters; he never dips his fingers into their personal affairs be it of the heart or business related. Yes, he will give his ten cents worth but over and above that, his talents’ decision will prevail.
I may not have known him as long as both Joey (Marquez) and Richard have but I guess I know him well enough to say that he has always lived by the ‘live and let live’ principle. He also consistently stays close to the basic framework of karma – that what goes around will eventually come around. He is very wary of people who use other people to get to the top. Richard remembers that Tito Dougs would always tell his talents that it’s better and far more important to have good business ethics and have a sure but slow climb up rather than to be on top but hurt and abuse a lot of people along the way. He would also tell them that they could do whatever they want as long as they don’t land in the hospital or in jail.
I always tell him that he probably has a mole on the sole of his feet – kaladkarin as he is. He is an ideal traveling companion. All you have to do is ask him once to hie-off somewhere, be it a local or foreign destination, and he will answer you with either a yes or a no (although it’s almost always more of the former than the latter). He seems to be tireless. He can travel from one place to another – go to Pampanga tonight, fly to Cebu tomorrow, go to Quezon Province the moment he arrives and perhaps fly to Bangkok in a couple of days. It seems only fitting then that when I catch him at his home in front of the boob tube it’s either tuned in to Lakbay TV or one of his thousands of DVD’s.
Whether or not he has a lot of pocket money for trips, trust that he will enjoy just as much either way. Be it in economy or business class – always, always the journey is what he makes of it. It’s light and easy being with him because anything goes. When we are in a new place he has a knack for being able to find areas that showcase edgy, fashionable clothes. And he always seems to smell those yummy hole-in-the-wall restaurants that are so good from a mile away.
Although I have a tendency to be an impulsive shopper, I am cautious in the sense that if I like something that I don’t really need (especially if it’s quite pricey), I have a tendency to dilly-dally and rationalize the purchase. Consequently, there have been countless times in our travels that I deeply regretted not buying something that I realized, too late, I truly, truly wanted to have and own. With Tito Dougs, there is no room for regrets.
He is like a blizzard when it comes to shopping. I’m not kidding, he is the fastest. We enter a shop at the same time and when we meet up an hour later, his head is peeping out of a load of shopping bags while I only have one or two in my hands. He doesn’t dissect the pros and cons – if he likes it and he has enough money to pay for it, then he buys it. Period. If he really super likes it, then he buys it in twos and threes, most probably to give as gifts. And boy does he love bags – they attract him like a magnet. He always says that in his past life he must have been a bag.
I’ve also been on enough trips with him to say that he is one of the most generous persons I know. His balikbayan boxes are filled with pasalubongs for friends, godchildren, and extended families. He is one of the most un-selfish persons I know, especially in terms of material things and sharing his time with others.
Tito Dougs is the perfect person to be stuck with on long flights/trips because there
is so much wisdom beneath that cloud of white hair. Well, even if you’re not stuck on a long flight it’s just nice to talk to him. Period. I like listening to his take on things, be they personal or otherwise, and I always respect his opinion because he will not customize what he says merely to please you. He will tell you the truth as he sees it, and not as how you would want it to be. He has a whole treasure trove of anecdotes and stories about real-life people and instances that we can all relate to and learn from and despite all the juicy information that goes through his ears, a secret with him can very well stay just that – a secret.
There are few things, if it all, that he is attached to – money definitely not being one of them. His track record speaks for itself. He has never had a falling out with any of his talents because of financial issues. Even through all these years that he has stood as Richard’s manager, they may have disagreed over certain things but never about money. People may think that mine is a biased opinion because I obviously consider him someone very dear but I know for a fact that countless times, he has chosen to forego the commission that was due him as a talent manager simply because he knew that the talent was the breadwinner of the family, who needed every penny more than he did. I’m not saying other managers are bad for collecting their percentage given a similar situation – all I’m trying to point out is that he always chooses to give way to the one who needs it more, even at his expense. He is one of the easiest persons to deal with because he keeps his word and there are no gray areas. A yes is a yes and a no is a no. Although he is no saint (I’ve seen him get upset and angry at people who wrong him and abuse his trust), I can say that hands down he is a good-natured individual who will go out of his way to be of help to anyone, big or small, and think nothing of it.
It is especially refreshing to know that, for someone who has practically seen and heard everything there is to see and hear in the glamorous but permissive world of showbusiness, Tito Douglas values marriage and will not tolerate adultery as far as his talents are concerned. His philosophy has always been that, while still single, you are free as a bird. But once you are committed in a bond as strong as marriage, you have to stand by that promise. He will not create intrigues by warning one spouse about the infidelity of the other but he will not be remiss in talking to the ‘misbehaving’ one to assess what is important and preserve the marriage and the family. Case in point: one of his talents started playing around while the wife was in Europe for an extended business trip and upon getting wind of her husband’s supposed infidelity with another actress, the wife calls up, asking the truth from him. Without confirming nor denying anything, all Tito Dougs said was ‘It’s best for you to come home and be where your husband is.’ The moment they put the phone down, the wife packed her things and came home – saving the marriage at that point from any future damage.
His wit and the original one-liners that he never seems to run short of are enough to make even the most jaded person giggle and laugh and there are many instances when just thinking about something he said or did in the past is enough to make us double over in laughter again – as if it just happened.
That he is well-loved in the industry is a given. Here is a man who loves bags and adobo, has simple joys and a wealth of friends and extended families, one who infinitely deserves the good things happening in his life because it is due him and not because he pushed his weight around and stepped on people along the way. GMA boss Jimmy Duavit once said during Richard’s birthday dinner that if all managers were just as true to their word and as upfront to deal with as Tito Douglas was, the industry would be a much easier place to be in. After all, the trust and love that you get from people is earned and never demanded. And that, Tito Douglas has a lot of. More than being a good manager, he is a real person and a true friend.
Tito Douglas celebrated his birthday a week ago at the Century Imperial Suites and his party was just like him – free-flowing, light, easy and fun. It was relaxing to be in the company of good friends and we all relished the yummy food especially the chicken inasal from JT Manukan and the wonderful fare from Dolly Salcedo of Baliwag Lechon Manok and Liempo fame.
Happy 60th birhday Tito Dougs! May you continue to be blessed with all that truly matters.