"Nag-quiapo pa ako noon alam niyo ba? (laughs) Kinalaban ko pa ang lahat ng manghuhula du’n. Ganoon katindi pinagdaanan ko."
The final page of 2018 has turned and we welcome 2019 with much enthusiasm and hope for another year ahead.
Peter Paul Duran
As part of Manila Standard’s special report on the coming Chinese New Year 2019, we sat down with a Feng Shui expert and got to know these remarkable individuals we seek advice from to rake in all the luck for the coming Year of the Pig.
“Bata pa lang ako mahilig na talaga ako sa Feng Shui. Naalala ko pa nga maliit na bata pa lang ako may knowledge na ako sa pag-predict,” said Willie Ang during a lenghty interview in a mall in Quezon City, where one of the two Lucky Charms kiosks he closely manages is located.
Master Ang, as he is referred to by his contemporaries and clients, has been a Feng Shui expert for two decades now and recalls how he started the craft.
“Taun-taon kapag nakakapaanood ako ng mga Feng Shui expert sa TV noon, nahumaling ako du’n sa galing nila. Siguro nadala ko sa paglaki ko,” he said.
The 48-year-old father of two is pure Chinese by ancestry, but he says he’s full-bloodied Filipino. Brought up in the neighborhoods of Valenzuela, Master Ang said that even at a young age, he knew that Feng Shui would be part of his life.
“Ako lang sa family namin ang into Feng Shui. Honestly, wala sila alam talaga sa Feng Shui, so ang inspiration ko lang ay ‘yung mga napapanood ko,” he said. “Nagsimula ako sa lola ko, binabasa ko ‘yung palad lola ko, then sa mga kaibigan ng lola ko, tapos umabot na sa mga kapitbahay. Du’n ko nalaman na may gift ako. At du’n din ako nagsimula mag discover more about Feng Shui.”
But that dream did not come without hurdles.
“Ayaw ng father ko talaga, hate nila ang ginagawa ko. To be honest, ikinahiya nila ‘yung mga may nanghuhula, ‘yung mga ganu’ng tipo ba (tulad ng Feng Shui),” Master Ang explained.
“Pero bago naman nawala ang father ko, okay naman natanggap niya naman ang profession ko pati ang mother ko. Pero noong una hindi talaga maiiwasan na isipin nila na ‘hindi naman career ang Feng Shui,’ ‘walang future diyan,’ ‘yan ang tingin nila. Pero in the end, nakita naman nila ang kagandahan nito,” he added.
The amiable Feng Shui Master also noted that he sees some interest from his two kids, a girl and boy aged 15 and 11, in Feng Shui.
How it Started
A Business Administration Major in Management graduate from San Sebastian College,
Master Ang pursued his dream of becoming a Feng Shui master right after securing his bachelor’s degree.
In 1996, he went to Malaysia to study Feng Shui for two years in a tedious program he thought would hone his skills in Feng Shui.
Even after completing the course and returning to the Philippines in 1998, he still needed some experience, even if he came back a certified Feng Shui master.
“Nagtrabaho muna ako for two years sa company, actually never ko nilagay sa resume ko na expert ako. Baka kase mate-take advantage ‘yung kakayahan ko,” he said.
“Pero in 2000, doon naman ako nagsimula talaga mag-focus na sa Feng Shui, pero mind you, never naging madali talaga sa simula,” Master Ang said.
“Hindi kasi pinaniniwalaan nu’ng panahon ko ‘yung mga batang experts. Ang pinaniniwalaan kasi ng tao ay ‘yung mga may edad na, ‘yung may experience nang matagal, kahit magaling ka, pero bagito ka pa lang, mahirap talaga,” he said.
Recalling his shaky start in the industry, Master Ang recalled his struggles as a budding Feng Shui expert, especially the stereotypes that came along with the profession.
“Alam mo naman, ang mga manghuhula, pinagtatawanan. Tapos kapag narinig ng mga kaibigan ko na nagbibigay ako ng libreng hula, hinahanapan ako ng crystal ball (laughs),” he said in jest.
“Pero ito naman ang pinag-aralan ko ng two years sa ibang bansa, sabi ko din naman sa sarili ko na pagbalik ko dapat hindi lang ako marunong, dapat magaling din ako, kahit gaano pa kahirap,” he said.
Steady rise
“Siguro nu’ng pumasok ang 2009, du’n ko masasabi okay na, tuluy-tuloy na,” said Master Ang- referring to the time which only a year prior was when his “experiment” in the streets of Manila shot his name up the Feng Shui circle.
“Nag-quiapo pa ako noon alam niyo ba? (laughs) Kinalaban ko pa ang lahat ng manghuhula du’n. Ganoon katindi pinagdaanan ko,” he said remembering his adventurous foray of sorts among the shabby lines of sears and oracles beside Quiapo church in 2008.
“Marami din nagalit sa akin du’n kase nagbibigay ako ng libreng hula. Siyempre nu’ng una takot ako, pero kelangan ko talaga gawin. Gusto ko du’n ko simulan sa Quiapo,” he said.
There were times, he said that his rival “manghuhulas” tried to kick him out by calling the police on him, even the local government unit stepped in at a point.
“Ang technique ko lang naman du’n ay huhulaan ko din ang pulis, ang siste papakawalan ako ng pulis, hindi na rin nila ako kokotongan. Kinailangan ko pa kaibiganin yu’ng mga pulis para hindi lang mahuli,” Master Ang said.
“Ganito lang ‘yan, kung gusto mo umangat, paghirapan mo. Nag-quiapo ako kase nandu’n lahat ng manghuhula, para makita nila ang kaibahan ko sa iba,” he added.
Then one day he got a call from GMA News TV, asking him to come on air. This would become the start of many opportunities.
Apart from celebrity clients such as Mark Abaya and TV News Reporter and Radio Anchor Jing Castañeda, Master Ang now has given advice to countless business owners, millionaires, and big-time personalities.
How is Master Ang different from other experts?
“First of all, hindi ko kino-consider na clients ko ang mga lumalapit sa akin, they are my friends. I keep a close relationship with them, ganoon ako as a Feng Shui expert,” he said.
“Mahirap sabihin kase hindi ko naman kino-compare ang sarili ko sa iba. Pero may mga clients ako na nauna nang dumaan sa iba, pero ayoko na sabihin kasi lamang naman ako sa sinasabi ng mga client ko (laughs),” he shared.
“At may mga clients din naman ako na nadi-disappoint saken,” he added.
Maybe it’s because of his at times crass but straight to the point approach of giving advice, but Master Ang reveals that some potential clients tend to scoff at him for not selling lucky charms or giving tips on how to hit the jackpot in gambling.
“I’m a Feng Shui expert, bakit kita ilalagay sa negative? Ayaw ko malulong ang tao diyan sa pagka-Casino kase wala naman nanalo diyan, bakit kailangan mo pa ng lucky charm for you to only lose ang napanalunan mo kapag natalo ka ulit?” he said.
That’s when Master Ang turned to a more serious tone in his talk, a glimpse of how he is personally and how he is as a Feng Shui expert–frank, bold, but has genuine care for the well-being of his clients, or should we say, his dear friends.
“Kaya hindi tumagal (sa larangan na ito) ang iba, kasi dahil sa pera. Pero hindi alam ng ibang Feng Shui expert na kung mataas ang lipad mo mas masakit kapag bumagsak ka,” he said.
“Kaya dapat wag puro pera ang nasa isip mo, sa kahit ano pang bagay ‘yan,” he added while stressing the importance of honesty and integrity in his craft.
“Alam niyo sinisiraan din naman ako, paano ba naman kasi, talagang magagalit sa akin ang ibang Feng Shui expert kase nagbibigay ako ng free consultation at libreng hula. At ako, hindi ako naniniwala na every year dapat magpalit ng lucky charm, sa akin kapag napatid ang lucky charm, balik niyo saken aayusin ko, walang bayad. Kaya din siguro feeling ng iba nasasagasaan ang hanapbuhay nila,” he said.
He said he really believes in karma, that’s why in all of the things he does as an expert, he gives 100%, without cutting corners.
“To be honest ha, nagkakamali din ang Feng Shui expert. Tulad din kung paano nagkakamali ang mga lawyer, ang mga doktor, wala naman kasing perpekto,” he said.
“Pero naniniwala ako sa sipag natin, sa pananampalataya natin sa Diyos. Alisin natin ang inggit. ‘Yan ang kalaban ng success,” Master Ang said as his advice to his fellow Feng Shui masters, a number of whom succumbed to the clutches of vices and greed.
“Kapag galing sa hirap ang pera, hindi madaling mawala. Ang pinaka importante, kapag may lumapit na tao sa’yo para humingi ng tulong, ibigay ang tama, kasi ‘yan ang tunay na service natin as Feng Shui expert,” Master Ang said.
To know more about Master Ang and have your free consultation and free palm reading, visit him in his kiosk at Fairview Terraces in Fairview, Quezon City.