#TheCebuano: Margo Frasco Behind The Scenes

Get to know the empowered woman behind the business legacy of Titay’s!

She’s an actress, producer, coach, gamer, and Chief Operating Officer of Titay’s. But, when stripped off of her titles, we wonder: Who is Margo?

We asked the powerhouse of a woman herself and with a humble smile, she said, “I’m just a regular human being just trying to get by every single day and live her life the best way she can.”

Who Is Margo?

Margarita Domingo Frasco a.k.a Margo is a proud Liloanon and legacy-holder of Titay’s Rosquillos. Outside the bustling rosquillos kitchen walls, she is also a dynamic mastermind as she spearheads stage plays and even stars in productions herself.

During our interview, Margo reflected on the concept of role models, expressing humility and gratitude towards her family and friends.” They’ve molded me and inspired me in so many ways. Again, I am just trying to get by in life just like everybody else, but I hope that the people that I admire will eventually be proud of me.”

In a heartfelt reflection, Margo shared her thoughts on success, stating its subjective nature and her ongoing quest for personal growth. We asked who she wished could have seen her recent success and she deeply revealed her longing for her late father, “I know my father is looking down at me, hopefully guiding me every single day, I wish he was still here to see my achievements. I wish he was here to guide me in my falters, in my mistakes, to hug me.”

“I think he was taken too soon from me. He’s basically the person whom I wish is still here with me and to say “Well done, you’ve done your best”.”, she shared the profound impact of his late father’s absence on her journey with emotional honesty.

On Answering The Curtain Call

Starred in both local and international stage productions, Margo has extensive experiences when it comes to the theater scene.

“It’s a moment in my life I get to become who I am not,” said Margo when we asked her about her passion. “I will never become a doctor, police officer, teacher, astronaut, president, and so many other things. But taking that role, I get to become that character for a moment. I get to study how they are and how they think; then I go back to reality.”

Margo’s thespian days started in elementary and in a hilarious throwback moment, she spilled the beans about her unforgettable piano school recital in Sto. Niño. “Everyone was like, “What? That’s not right!” and then I stood up and took a bow. I wish I did practice coz that’s a bad memory! But I got through it; I think that’s some way to look at it. And I performed! I acted like I knew and I didn’t know what I was doing,” recalled Margo.

For the hundreds of roles she had played, Margo shared that her favorites were her roles as the Wicked Witch of the West and the Hyena from a Lion King production, “How do you study an animal? How do you study a witch? It’s all in the imagination,” she answered and added, “As the hyena, the challenge was more on the hair-teasing part; they had to make my hair poofy. Then as the Wicked Witch, I’m always conscious about my behind so I had to rehearse that over and over again. How am I supposed to melt and not really show my behind?”

On talking about being typecasted, Margo shared that her usual roles were being the rough-cookie, “I’m always, always typecasted. I’m always the tough one, but I am a Disney princess!” I think it’s just how I look and maybe sometimes how I carry myself. But, I’m always the tough one; always the military one! When do I get to become like the girl that gets asked out? I’m always the one asking out! But it’s okay.”

The Life of A COO

Started off as a simple small business, Titay’s has since boomed into one of the biggest in Cebu and the Philippine’s food industry because of its nostalgic and unique products. We asked Margo about the secret ingredient of the family-owned business’s success and she smiled, “Love, dedication, continuation.”

On inheriting the business, Margo responded with glee as she shared how her family and grandparents never forced the idea and position to any of them, “We’re very fortunate that my parents and grandparents never forced us and always gave us the liberty to do what we want to. And I think that’s the reason why we do what we do now.”

Four generations have managed the rosquillos empire and recently, Margo shared that their fifth generation is also participating in the business venture, “We want to make it last for another 117 years. Our responsibility now is to make it easier for the next generations and make it a livelihood for the people.”

With new businesses in the scene, Margo shared a tip for small business owners: gratefulness and giving 100% each day. She also gave us a glimpse on what to expect for the upcoming 2024 Rosquillos Festival which she states that they will put on a great show to entertain everyone during the celebration. “I want people to remember the true meaning of the festival: San Fernando El Rey. It should be beyond just the events but also the commemoration of our patron saint in Liloan,” Margo added.

Balancing Between Work & Play

Prioritization is Margo’s superpower when it comes to balancing her career as a COO and thespian with her personal life. She also expressed the importance of life and to take time for everything saying, “Lumalabay rajud ang tanan. We just get so wrapped up with things that sometimes we forget to just relax for a moment and be grateful. We always pray and ask God, “Lord, please I need this. Help me with this!”, yet sometimes we forget that we’re asking too much; we forget that He’s given us so much without even asking for it.”

Humbly, Margo would not call herself a “successful person” as she sees that there are still a lot of things she needs to improve. Nonetheless, she gave advice to aspiring business owners, actors, and those who aim to follow in her footsteps: “Do what your heart desires. Just keep trying and trying. Even the people we look up to have also endured hardships, and I don’t believe life is a contest or a competition. Life is about the journey and not the destination.”

To close the interview, we asked Margo a set of questions gathered from her theater students about her favorite things, and here’s how it went:

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