MANILA, Philippines – Coco Martin and Vice Ganda were friends long before either of them made it big, and today, the two aren’t shy about sharing words of wisdom with each other.

During the December 10 press conference for Beauty and the Bestie, their upcoming 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival movie, Vice shared the story of how he realized just how wise Coco is. (READ: 8 entries revealed: MMFF 2015 movie lineup)

“Dati akala ko mas marunong ako dito kay Coco. Pero na-realize ko, parang mas matalino sa akin itong si Coco. Hindi ko alam kung may natututnan siya sa akin sa pelikulang ‘to, pero ako, meron akong natutunan sa kanya,” started Vice. (READ: Coco Martin: They said I couldn’t act)

(Before, I thought that I knew better than Coco. But I realized that Coco is smarter than me. I don’t know if he learned anything from me while filming this movie, but me, I learned something from him.)

After a couple of false starts – the two got distracted with friendly banter about how Coco likes to interrogate Vice’s boyfriends – Vice continued, “Sabi ko [kay Coco], ‘Napapagod ako, nalulungkot ako (I said [to Coco], ‘I’m tired, I’m sad).'”

Vice said that they were were talking by a hotel pool during a break from shooting the movie.

“Eh kasi, aminin ko, tumatanda ako (Because, I’ll admit, I’m getting old),” Vice answered Coco when he asked why he was sad. Vice then said that he missed the days when he and Coco weren’t famous yet, like when they grabbed a bite to eat after judging a university beauty contest.

“Sabi ko, ‘Diba nung walang-wala pa tayo gusto lang natin kumita nang malaki para magawa natin yung gusto natin, para mabili natin yung gusto natin, mabili natin yung kailangan ng pamilya? Eh ngayon, kumita na tayo ng malaki pero bakit parang hindi ko pa rin magawa yung gusto ko? Hindi ko pa rin mabigay yung talagang kailangan ng pamilya ko diba bukod doon sa mga materyal.'”

(I said, ‘When we were nothing, we just wanted to earn big so we could do what we wanted, so we could buy what we wanted, buy what our families needed. But now, we’re earning big but why does it seem like I still can’t do what I want? I can’t give my family what they really need, other than material things.)

According to Vice, Coco answered, “Ikaw kasi, kaya ka laging nalulungkot, ang dami mong gusto. Ang dami mong source of joy. Ang source of joy mo mag out of the country, ang source of joy mo sapatos.”

(The reason you’re sad is because you want so many things. You have so many sources of joy. Your source of joy is flying out of the country, your source of joy is shoes.)

Coco then shared with Vice his secret to happiness: “Ang dami mong gustong kuhanin ng saya. Ako kasi, para hindi ako malungkot, itinanim ko na sa utak ko, ikinondisyon ko na yung sarili ko na yung itong pag-aartista ko, itong pagtratrabaho ko, ito ang magpapasaya sa akin.”

(There are so many things that you derive happiness from. Me, so that I don’t get sad, I planted in my mind, I conditioned myself to think that this, my acting, my work, is what makes me happy.)

“Kaya tuwing darating ako sa trabaho, kahit pagod na pagod ako, masaya ako, kasi alam ko sa puso ko, ito yung gusto kong gawin. Maliban sa pamilya ko, it lang ang gusto kong gawin, at ito lang ang makakapagpasaya sa akin. Kaya ‘di ako nalulungkot.”

(That’s why when I work, even though I’m so tired, I’m happy, because I know in my heart that this is what I want to do. Other than my family, this is all I want, and this is the only thing that can make me happy. That’s why I don’t get sad.)

“May natutunan din kaya ako sa ‘yo (I learned something from you too)!” Coco told Vice after he finished his story, breaking the serious mood. To the laughter of the reporters in the room, Coco shared how Vice would tell him they should pretend to be mad at each other to get out of work early.

As in real life, Coco and Vice play best friends in Beauty and the Bestie, where Erika (Vice) helps out special agent Emman (Coco) by going undercover as a beauty queen.

The movie, directed by Wenn V Deramas, will be in theaters on December 25.

What do you think of Coco’s advice? Tell us in the comments below! – Rappler.com