IF MARGIE Auyong-Velasquez's face seems familiar to you, I won’t be surprised. She happens to be a local TV star, appearing and hosting ABS-CBN Northern Mindanao’s Sunday magazine show, “MagTV Na, Asenso Ta,” which features successful local businesses.
Mommy Margie, as she is fondly called in the show, also frequently hosts events like fiesta activities, Pink October events, product launchings, and the like. This proud Kagay-anon has also appeared in several print and TV commercials.
On top of that, she is an avid runner, often organizing fun runs for the homegrown Circle Productions. She invites everyone to the Milo Marathon on November 19, Xavier Color Run Yr2 on November 26, and Metrobank Fun Run on December 3.
She’s been on TV for 6 years, but unbeknownst to her local fans, she landed on TV as “some sort of accident”. She actually considers her first profession to be a business woman. With her Chinese heritage, she was trained for the entrepreneurial path since she was young.
Margie narrated: “I’ve been selling for the past 16 years. I concentrate on my office supplies business all-year-round, and for the last quarter of the year, that’s when I go full-scale in selling my Christmas decors.”
Buying Christmas decors in her showroom was how I met Margie many moons ago. She offers an assortment of Christmas wreaths, garlands, and mantel/table decorations. She has vast collections of angels, carousels, ornaments, and dozens of Santa Claus figurines (both large and small engaged in various poses and cute shenanigans).
When Mommy Margie speaks and describes each piece of décor someone inquires about, her face lights up and her eyes sparkle.
I find her enthusiasm contagious and I always leave her store with a happy feeling. Her pieces say “Merry Christmas” so much louder than bells jingling and carolers singing!
Decorating for Christmas is a passion Margie has always had since she was a kid. I asked her why and she explained: “Cause Christmas always brings happy memories of childhood and family. I sell decors because it’s my hobby, my passion, and my stress buster. I want my children to always remember Christmas with a home full of decors, love teeming, and friendship blooming. In fact, many customers have become close friends thru the years…and I consider that a big blessing!”
She narrated that her first TV appearance was thanks to her decors. They first got the eye of the local ABS-CBN who did a feature on her collection, and later on, the story was picked up by TV Patrol in Manila.
She said: “After that, channel 2 asked me to host a one month special. It was only supposed to a 4-Sunday stint; but it became 6 years, and until now, I am still here. It started as ‘Mag TV Na, Ato Ni’ as a lifestyle format. Now, it is ‘Mag TV Na, Asenso Ta’, focusing on business airing Sundays at 8:30 a.m.”
She finds it amazing that her passion for all things Christmas has landed her in this profession that she never thought she would be in at all.
She elaborated: “It was like an accident! But then again, for me, in life there’s no disgrasya; but only ‘dis is grasya’. It wasn’t my dream to be inside the TV. I was just always outside, watching. I was always programmed to be a business woman, but life hands us so many surprises!”
Margie said she had no experience in hosting whatsoever when she first started. She actually learned on the job, and she is thankful to the people she has the privilege to work with for guiding and supporting her.
She said: “I just wanted to try it out for fun. But, I guess, I ended up loving it because my hubby tells me he sees a certain joy and smile every time I come home from work. But how could I not when the topic of our show is empowering viewers, especially for women because it encourages them to start their own business even in the comforts of their own home.”
This woman is truly admirable because she is able to juggle and balance motherhood, family, business, friends, sports, organizing runs, and hosting.
She candidly admitted: “Sometimes, it can be hard, like not being able to attend my kids’ programs in school, but the good thing is they understand my work. Also, if it is really necessary, my TV team adjusts also. I am really lucky I have a supportive family and loving God providing us 24 hours in a day. Time management is an art I’ve learned to master through the years.”
The sense of fulfillment Mommy Margie feels makes all her sacrifices worth it—“We really put in a lot of work, time, and effort in the stories we feature for the TV show. But what’s important to me is when friends, especially strangers tell me they want to try their own hand in starting their business because they were inspired by the story we featured. One empowered viewer is already a great reward for the hard work we put in every episode.”
And certainly, with good ratings and feedback for MagTV Na, Asenso Ta, they empower a lot of viewers! Margie is the living proof that if you follow your passion—mix it up with perseverance, persistence, and patience—then success will also follow you!
For inquiries on Mommy Margie’s Christmas decors, which also serve as awesome gift items, please send her a PM on her Facebook page with her full name. Christmas is just around the corner…are you ready for the most wonderful time of the year? HoHoHo!
For comments and suggestions, please hop-on over to www.orochronicles.com/blog/