Mar and Aning Carlos Love and Faith that Won’t Quit

By Yoly T. Tubalinal

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
–Nelson Mandela

Mar and Aning Carlos greeted the New Year with a ‘monumental and special” dinner celebration at the Alta Villa Banquet in Addison, IL on January 4, 2014. Marc turned 75 and Aning, 70. In lieu of gifts, they requested donations to FilAm SDA Church of Glendale Heights, IL for its building fund. It was an act that spoke volumes about these hardworking and good-hearted couple, whose colorful life and love story is one of love and faith that endures and never quits.

Marcelo ‘Mar’ Carlos hails from Dalayap, Candaba, Pampanga. From his farmer parents, Leonardo Carlos and Andrea Mangulabnan, Mar first learned the value of hard work and honest toil. Like Mar, Anicia with roots from Valdefuente, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, came from a large family (his was 10 and hers was 8). Herparents, Bedasto Vizconde and Encarnacion de Leon raised their family on farming. Mar and Aning met in Cabanatuan City, fell in love and tied the knot on June 21, 1970. Their union was blessed with 5 children and 6 grandchildren.
As a child, Mar got his training in the school of hard knocks. He drove a tricycle, learned to be a tricycle mechanic and graduated to moving-theater announcing just to help his parents put food on the table. Aning was then a rising radio announcer in Cabanatuan City for her popular program “Aning Ko Mang Isipin.” As she was making a name in the radio for her skills in Balagtasan, soap operas, declamations and singing, Mar’s star is rising. He got his big break as a broadcast talent at ABS-CBN Radio DZXL. He performed in top rated national soap operas like Kahapon Lamang, Tia Dely, Lagalag and Dear Kuya Cesar.
Rise to Fame and Fortune
The couple’s early ticket to success, fame and fortune, was their golden voice. Both became known in radio broadcasting and their programs were the station DZYG’s most listened to slots. When DZYG was shut down, Mar and Aning established and managed their own stations, DWAR and DZCI and opened businesses in apparel, real estate development and agricultural supplies in Nueva Ecija. Within 14 years, the couple rose to become one of the province’s multi-millionaires. But the couple’s good fortune came to a screeching halt with the assassination of Ninoy Aquino and the declaration of martial law. Their businesses suffered, foremost of which were their radio stations which lost its independence and voice under tyrannical government control.
In the Land of Milk and Honey
Someone said, “Sometimes it takes a good fall to really know where you stand.” It was a realization Mar and Aning found themselves having. Seeing the tightening conditions in the Philippines as a result of Marcos’ martial law, they decided to try their luck in the U.S., where they’ve heard and read the grass was greener. It was not an easy decision as it required of them to leave their 5 young children behind.
Here in the U.S. Aning and Mar found themselves working like they had never worked before. They set aside their stature in the Philippines prior to coming over and accepted what jobs were available to save money and get their children as soon as they could. Aning worked as a caregiver to rich American seniors whereas Mar took a car sales rep job with Ford Motors and did some car repairs on the side. Their hard work paid off slowly but surely as they were able to bring all their five children to the U.S. and started living as a family once again.
Mar and Aning began a retail business of silk plants and flowers in a flea market growing it to become a leading wholesaler in the Chicago area. From their earnings, they sent their 5 children to college till they are done and on their own. But business started to sour and in 1997, they closed shop.
Knocked down for the second time, Mar and Aning braced for a rebound. With what’s left of their resources, they put up a real estate and mortgage business and became a real estate and mortgage broker himself. In 2000, he invested in real estate properties with hopes of liquidating them for profit when the time was right. But once again, and for the third time, Mar and Aning were faced with a financial crisis brought about by the economic meltdown in 2004 which hit the heart of the business they were in. It was a painful blow for the couple who would never give up on their dream.
In 2006, Mar and Aning founded the Platinum Care Group, Inc. in Illinois, with branches in Nevada and Arizona. Today, Platinum Home Care, Inc. employs at least 100 caregivers providing home care to seniors and aging homebound Americans.
Mar and Aning Carlos had suffered many setbacks and failures in their business not once or twice but three times. But they got back up each time they fell, fiercer and more determined to succeed. With this perseverance and determination, they are bound to reap their well deserved rewards and they did. They pinned their hopes and faith in God’s plans as they keep their sight on the prize. YT
Editor’s note: We give credit to the article written by Jay de Leon of Glendale, Arizona which provided background information for this feature story.