At 41, Aga Muhlach’s “killer dimples” still elicit excited shrieks from women and a happy chorus of “Tito Aga!” from the kids. Still as bagets-looking as ever, the seasoned actor is busy with two upcoming movies and numerous other projects and endorsements. Despite his busy schedule, he also remains committed to two of his most favorite roles—that of devoted family man to his twins and Charlene, and a bearer of early Christmas cheer to hundreds of less fortunate children through Jollibee Maaga ang Pasko, now the country’s longest-running toy and book drive.

Truly, the happiness that glows from the popular matinee idol is not just a result of his charmed life, but of the radiance of his heart as well. And as he celebrates the 16th year of his favorite project with fast-food giant Jollibee, Aga once again brightens the season as he shares the spirit of Christmas through the campaign.

Aga looks back

“I remember during our Oki Doki Doc days when the cast would hold a mini-gift giving during Christmas season and how special it was for all of us,” Aga shares. “I thought, why don’t we bring this to more children in need? So I approached Jollibee because I know that they have the network to reach out to more children, and that’s when our partnership for Maaga ang Pasko started. And it’s just amazing how grand the scale of this campaign became. Kinikilabutan ako.”

Very professional and composed onscreen, Aga suddenly finds himself at a loss for words to describe the campaign’s success. Throughout the years, it has evolved to inspire volunteerism through the Jolly Toy Scouts from partner schools and companies across the country. Last year, Maaga ang Pasko even embarked on a Christmas caravan to spread cheer to children from public schools that were damaged heavily by Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. This year, Maaga will once again go beyond the traditional gift-giving with the addition of its Build-a Classroom project, an initiative with the Jollibee Foundation and Department of Education. The project, which will be funded partly from the proceeds of the sales of the Jollibee and Friends dolls novelty offering, signifies Jollibee’s contribution to help address the big classroom gap in the country.

“I remember we used to hold our events at Jollibee stores,” Aga adds. “But now, we find ourselves looking for venues big enough to accommodate hundreds of kids and even hundreds of volunteers. We have so many people to thank for making this campaign possible and so many children to give the gifts to. It’s just incredible how everything turned out.”

When asked about his fondest memories of the campaign, Aga once again struggles to summarize the 16 colorful years of Maaga ang Pasko. Finally he manages to say, “Every year is special as we continue to make more children happy. It’s really the small things that do great wonders for them.”

A simple celebration for the Muhlachs

Even Aga’s twins have seen the grandeur of the campaign when they once joined him for a kick-off. Today, Atasha and Andres are both nine years of age and Aga believes that they have a better grasp of the concept of sharing and giving that Maaga ang Pasko teaches.

“Charlene and I raised our children with the value of simplicity,” he said. “They only get one toy each for every occasion. That’s how I grew up, and I believe it contributed to my perspective on the importance of giving. I want my kids to learn that, too, until they are old enough to do projects like this on their own.”

Preferring to have a simple and quiet holiday, the Muhlachs will fly to the US where they have been celebrating Christmas for the past five years. And when they get back home, it will be the start of a brand new year for the children of Maaga ang Pasko who were able to enjoy a brighter and merrier Christmas.

Thanks to Tito Aga and Jollibee, they can start anew with brighter hopes and happier hearts.

One of the standout traits of the Filipino family is that they can turn any place into home as long as they are together. As a brand that promotes family bonding over affordably great meals, Jollibee has indeed become a second home for many Filipino families sharing simple but happy and unforgettable moments.

Such valuable and happy times are exemplified in Jollibee’s new family-themed TV commercial. Jollibee’s new ad captivates the heart of the viewer as it narrates how a family is able to bond even if Mommy is a night-shift duty nurse at the local hospital.

It begins with a view of a picturesque sunrise. It is early morning and Mommy’s night shift is over but the kids are just getting ready for school. Daddy brings the kids to Jollibee before they head to school. Mommy is already waiting for them at their favorite spot, with their favorites like ChickenJoy, Spaghetti, Yum Burger and hot chocolate. Over generous servings of their favorite Jollibee treats, they share stories and just relish each other’s company. After their filling and delightful meal, the kids go to school, Daddy goes to the office and Mommy calls it a day. Bunso then kisses Mommy good night, and Mommy greets her a heartfelt “good morning.”

Many will relate to this experience as captured in the commercial directed by multi-awarded ad-man, Jun Reyes. For even if the family portrayed in the ad has an unconventional schedule, they mirror the truth that all homes relate to: bonding is indeed essential in keeping the family closer.

Whether it is the warm greeting of the friendly crew, the delicious meals, or just the company of the people gathered there, there is quite not a place like Jollibee that truly fosters special family times.

A lot of exciting and educational adventures are set to unravel in everyone’s favorite neighborhood Jollitown!

Catch the show’s remaining episodes of Season 2 as more exciting and fun plots laden with positive values and helpful reminders are in store.

There’s this episode reminding kids on the importance of eating a hearty breakfast. Here, the little girl named Lulu encounters magical characters and embarks on breathtaking escapades with her friends while she learns new and interesting things on how to keep healthy and strong for her everyday activities. With the help of the Jollifriends, she realizes the importance of family and the meaning of friendship as well.

Another episode demonstrates the value of obeying one’s parents and following the rules. In this episode, Jack gets himself into a lot of trouble when he disobeys the instructions of his parents while on a camping trip with the Jollifriends. With the help of enchanting characters and his Jollitown pals, Jack realizes that parents indeed know best and finds out that true friends are always there when you need them.

Count on Jollitown in providing kids with fun and entertainment while at the same time teaching them good values.

So keep it glued to each episode of Jollitown Season 2 where every child is guaranteed to have fun while learning.

Jollitown airs from 8:30 to 9:00 am Sundays on GMA-7.