For most Filipinos, Romnick Sarmenta is a familiar figure, an acclaimed actor whose decades-long career has shaped Philippine entertainment. But beyond the spotlight, another version of Romnick exists: the professor, the mentor, the quiet presence in a classroom filled with young creatives hoping to find their place in the industry he has long called home.
This duality, Romnick the actor and Romnick the professor, is not a balancing act many would dare pursue. Yet, for him, it is a purpose he embraced with hesitation, humility, and a deep respect for the teaching profession.
“I have always admired teachers,” he shares. “I think of them as selfless, giving their time to educate and care for other peoples’ children… Helping to shape the next generation of citizens and professionals.”
When the opportunity to teach was first presented to him, he admits he was reluctant. Becoming a professor meant stepping into a field he regarded with immense dignity. But his belief in “raising the future,” in doing what he can to uplift the industry that raised him, ultimately pushed him forward. “If there was any way I can contribute to help the industry I grew up in become better, I would grab the chance,” he says. “So, I decided to give it a shot, knowing that by doing so, I would also learn invaluable things.”
Holding two worlds at once is far from easy. Romnick is candid, almost self-deprecating, about the challenge. “Horribly,” he says when asked how he balances acting and teaching.
There are times when shoots and acting commitments demand more than his schedule allows, forcing him to miss classes. When that happens, he compensates by giving work to his students and constantly reminding production teams of his need to be present in the academe. Still, some situations are simply unavoidable. And yet, despite the logistical chaos, his commitment remains unwavering. “My time aside, I only seek to be truly present and share all that I can in both fields, withholding nothing. That way I can say to myself that I do my duty diligently.”
For Romnick, the bridge between performance and teaching is built on one indispensable foundation: listening. “You see, in any position, listening and relating is important,” he says. “These are the simplest and most vital of all tools that an actor must possess, and they are the very same tools a teacher must have.”
He believes learning and acting work in both directions. His experiences have shaped him, just as his students’ stories may shape them. “My experiences are invaluable to me… meaning the experiences and learnings of my students may also become invaluable to them, so I share what I have received freely.” In his classroom, stories are not mere anecdotes. They are lessons. They are lived moments transformed into guidance.
Despite straddling two demanding worlds, the reward is clear and simple to him: connection. “It would have to be the connection with people,” Romnick says. “Art allows me to share what I have observed, education allows me to appreciate what is learned and observed.” There is a quiet sincerity in the way he speaks of human interaction, not as a network but as an opportunity to understand people more deeply. Both acting and teaching feed this curiosity.
When asked to describe the synergy between the actor and the professor within him, Romnick does not hesitate. “It is primarily fueled by a sense of integrity, a desire to remain true to myself,” he shares. He does not claim to be an academician. Instead, he teaches from personal experience, real work, real life, and real lessons. “While I echo terminologies and theories, I would try, best as I can, to exemplify them through concrete examples of personal moments at work, even in life…”
His hope is simple yet profound. He wants his years in the industry to contribute to shaping better creators. “If my years in the industry helps to create better creators, then I may gladly say that I have done something to help the industry that nourished me.”
