Mi Casa Es Su Casa with Atty. Raymund Martelino

The previous months have been challenging for all of us because of the pandemic. As such, we have stayed inside our houses for a long time since most social gatherings are canceled, travels are limited and outdoor activities are controlled. Hence, home is the safest place for all of us.

May as it be, some of us might have felt suffocated because of the kind of set-up, and some of us found positivity in the situation. All of the things that we used to do outdoors are finding our way remotely—for instance, work from home, online classes, and fitness activities. Being stuck inside our houses made us try activities that we’ve never done before. We discovered skills and passion for different things. And also, indeed, habits and routines have changed.

The feature Mi Casa Es Su Casa explores an inside look to the changes we’ve done in our daily lives as we’ve adapted, the interesting hobbies and quirks, as well as how we find hope and positivity in this situation.

For our first edition of Mi Casa Es Su Casa, we’ve invited Enderun’s Business Law Professor Atty. Raymund Martelino to share how he and his family have adapted to the new normal and the changes they’ve done in their home.

INK: How have you been? How is your family?

Atty. Martelino: All is well despite the pandemic.

The legal practice slowed down during the first month of the lockdown. But after a while, our firm regrouped and became more active with advising clients on how to comply with new governmental rules and issuances.

We had to work from home for a while.

We pulled out our kids from traditional school and decided to ‘homeschool’. They’ve been attending varied online classes that suit their interests: arts, music, dance, languages. We also signed them up for tutorials in Math, Spanish and Filipino.

INK: With the new normal that we are currently experiencing, what changes have you made in your house layout?

Atty. Martelino: Since we were forced to stay at home, we took this as an opportunity to do some home improvement and reorganizing. We initially converted parts of our attic into a work space. It eventually transformed into a music, recreation and home gym.

We have a small pocket garden which we use. We play there, eat “out”, workout and I do other hobbies like woodworking.

We also fixed our balcony. We did a little landscaping. We started caring for more plants, mostly ornamental and some herbs.

INK: Do you have an interesting collection in your house?

Atty. Martelino: I collect records. Most of them are in the office but I have a record player in the house as well.

The guitars that used to be in the office are now at home.

I have my motorcycles in the garage as well.

During the pandemic, I discovered DIY woodworking. In the process, I collected power tools.

As mentioned, I also have a good number of ornamental plants.

Significant personal acquisitions during the pandemic lockdown was a treadmill, a bike trainer and a home gym set. I now spend considerable time in what I refer to as my “pain cave”. I do virtual runs and triathlons. In lieu of the swim leg for triathlons, I substitute runs.

Recently, I got some manual focus prime lenses for my camera also.

INK: Aside from the changes in your house layout, are there any significant changes in your habits as well?

Atty. Martelino: The routine has definitely changed. What I love most is the fact that I spend much less time driving in traffic now more than ever.

I have invested in good internet and good quality video conferencing gear. I use a mirrorless camera instead of the laptop camera. I also got some ring lights and a USB microphone.

As much as possible, I take advantage of work that can be accomplished by an email or a phone call. I do video conferences instead of face to face meetings.

INK: How was your work set-up? Do you isolate yourself from your family while working? How did this kind of set-up affect your time with your family?

Atty. Martelino: Since we were required to stay home for months, it was initially a challenge to maintain a life-work balance. The pandemic blurred the line between personal and professional life.. We discussed this with our girls. So when I had a meeting, court hearing, or class, I would stay up in the attic and put a sign on the door for the kids to know that they cannot disturb me. The same goes for my wife. Luckily, I have not experienced any online meeting mishaps, so far.

INK: If there’s one thing that you would like to change or renovate in your house, which part of the house would it be and why?

Atty. Martelino: If there would be any changes, these would just be cosmetic in nature. Also, organizing our storage better is something we want to do.

INK: Do you have a daily routine or do you like to spice things up?

Atty. Martelino: There’s no fixed daily routine. My activities vary depending on the work schedule, but I try to have morning workouts and breakfast with the family everyday. We also look forward to family ‘pillow talk’ and ‘tickle time’ before sleeping.

INK: Did you pick up any new hobbies this quarantine?

Atty. Martelino: Yes.

1. I got into DIY woodworking.
2. I got into cycling.
3. I got into triathlons (virtual).
4. I collected plants – I became a “planttorney”.
5. I got into culinary experiments with and for the family.
6. I rekindled my interest in cocktail making for nightcaps with my wife.
7. I rediscovered my passion for photography.

INK: How has the quarantine period been like for you and your family?

Atty. Martelino: It’s been an interesting and exhilarating time of discovery for our family. For a good number of months, it was just us four, 24/7. We found new ways to entertain and annoy one another. The pandemic made us appreciate what we have and value what matters most: having each othe

INK: If you could have a superpower what would it be?

Atty. Martelino: It would be awesome to wear the Infinity Gauntlet with all the Infinity Stones of course.

INK: Who would you love to have as a houseguest?

Atty. Martelino: We love entertaining. Our house is usually the venue for gatherings of friends. We would love to have friends and family hang out with us again.

INK: Which celebrity would be the best and worst houseguest, and why?

Atty. Martelino: Best would be a chef who would whip up resto meals we miss or a professional home organizer to give us tips in making our house more fun and functional. Worst might be any vegan celebrity. We’re a family of meat lovers.

INK: What is the most used room in the house?

Atty. Martelino: The dining room and bedroom. We’re always excited to bond during meal time and bedtime.

INK: What is one thing you learned about yourself while under quarantine?

Atty. Martelino: Life is short. You spend it with the people who you care for and love the most. Nobody died and said he wished he spent more time at the office. Home is where the love is.

We hope you enjoyed the first edition of Mi Casa Es Su Casa and had fun learning more about Atty. Martelino’s story. Who should we feature next? Let us know in the poll below. You can nominate your fellow students, professors, alumni and Enderun employees!

Click here to nominate who we should feature in the next Mi Casa Es Su Casa article.