Close to Excellence

By Robbie Pangilinan

Expert hairstylist Pin Antonio admits that she is a perfectionist. Family-owned Salon de Manila, where Pin is Creative Director, is known for its trademark excellent and personal service, making it the top choice of celebrities and personalities. Pin makes sure that everything she does in her profession meets her exquisite standard.



Her passion for perfection also translates to her role as a mother to Adlai and Andrai. But Pin prefers to call it “excellence guided by the Lord.”



“I do not impose perfection on them, but I try to live it out as an example so that my children can follow. Basically, I just remind them to make their lives a blessing to people around,” the famous hair trendsettershares.



Pin is known for her very modern and chic hairdos, and she says she is also like that as a mom—modern and chic. “I am a cool mom, at the same time a disciplinarian. But I’m not stiff, ha! I’m not very strict either. I don’t want my children to be scared of me. I want my home to be a happy one,” Pin reveals.



And happy is her home, with Adlai and Andrai growing up to be good young gentlemen. “When they were smaller, I enjoyed playing with them in what we called our ‘kilitian’ time. We laughed and jumped on the bed!” Pin recalls. Now that the two boys are all grown up, Pin treasures the times when the two are home for dinner. “I love eating at home together while we tell each other stories about almost anything,” the stylist of the stars says.



Pin admits that it is not easy being a mother, especially when she sees her children hurting. “Particularly if their problem concerns the heart, I know that I cannot handle it for them. The only help I could extend is my prayers,” Pin states.



The boys, Adlai and Andrai, are hardworking and artistic like their mom. “They’re both cute, too! Hahaha!” Pin laughs. “Actually, they are totally different from each other but I could say they're both special in their own ways and I thank God that they turned out to be great persons,” Pin proudly says.

Pin’s dream is for her boys to be successful in whatever field they choose, and this dream is already starting to come true for Adlai. Only in his early twenties, Adlai is already a master of precision cutting and creative coloring, of course, at Salon de Manila. He represented SDM in an international hair stylingcompetition and was named one of the best hairstylists in Asia last year. Pin is very happy for her first-born, especially because he is following in his mother’s footsteps. But Pin says it does not really matter which field her sons choose, as long as they love what they do and do what they love.



Andrai, on the other hand, is still in school. Pin knows his second son will be just as successful as his kuyabecause he is hardworking, too. “I am very happy that my sons know their worth as a person. The most important thing for me is to see them grow with the Lord,” Pin says.



Wherever the boys go and however high they reach, Pin can only wish that the top three values she taught them – to have a personal relationship with God, to love and respect others, and to work hard with discipline—will guide them every step of their way. “The happiest day for a mother is when you see your children loving and helping each other, and knowing that they are living everything you've taught them,” Pin shares.



Pin might be a perfectionist but she knows too well that she is not perfect. “Nobody is. I am not a perfect person, neither a perfect mother. I had mistakes while raising my children up, but I believe God is my partner in taking care of them. And even now that the boys are grown up, I still depend everyday on God to help me,” Pin ends. #