MASANTOL -- Filipino-American hairstylist Mark Bustos over the weekend went home to his hometown to share his internationally-recognized talent to his kabalens via free haircuts.
Bustos, whose family hails from Barangay San Nicolas in this town, is known for giving away free haircuts to underprivileged and homeless people here and abroad which earned him the monicker “Hairdresser to the Homeless.”
Bustos was formerly employed in a posh hair salon in New York City where he was a hairstylist to Hollywood artists and high-profile clients before he set up his own salon Silver Vine Room in New Jersey in 2018.
Despite his continued success and the numerous recognitions he gained in the industry, Bustos sustains his commitment in humanitarian work by giving away free haircuts to the underprivileged during his free time.
Over the weekend, Bustos treated some of his kabalens to a taste of Hollywood hairstyling after he offered free haircuts as part of his charitable work aimed at giving back to the community.
Bustos said that his free haircut is “his way of paying it forward and spreading his message of dignity and hope, by cutting the hair of homeless people” across the world.
“My job is to make people feel better than they did before they sat on my chair,” Bustos said.
Mayor Danilo Guintu, who was treated to a fresh haircut during Bustos’ courtesy visit at the Mayor’s Office, lauded the latter’s artistry which brought and honor to Masantol and his fellow Masantoleño.
“Bustos is a true pride of Masantol. He has also worked with high profile clients in Hollywood and was able to make his own name here and abroad. And despite his numerous achievements, he never forgot his Masantoleño roots,” he said.
The mayor added: “More than his artistry in hairstyling, it’s his charitable work of giving free haircuts to the homeless during his free time that makes us more proud being his fellow Masantoleño. Indeed Bustos is an embodiment of a selfless and kind-hearted Masantoleño.”