Moments with Dad

Article posted June 13, 2008

What’s your fondest memory of your dad? We asked this question to your favorite Kapuso idols and here’s what they have to say. Interviewed by Jason S. Lim and Jillian Q. Gatcheco. Photos by the iGMA Web Team.



Richard Gutierrez: “With my dad kasi, I cherish every moment that I have with him. Kasi the aura that he brings, the vibe that he brings is so positive, and every time that he tells me a story from the past, or how he guides me—he always guides me in my work, and in my personal life, but he doesn’t give unsolicited advice. You’re the one who has to speak to him, and that’s the only time that he will share his experiences. And when he does share his experiences, I consider that something great already coming from him. Because he’s been through a lot in his life, and I think he’s a man of wisdom. So I cherish every small moments with him, nothing really big and grand. Pero ‘yung mga simple conversations with him, I cherish the most.”



Jean Garcia: “I never knew my [biological] father. My mother and my father separated when I was five [years old]. Tapos my father died na in 1997, so hindi ko siya [nakilala]. Stepfather [ko naman], malambing. Basta parang barkada—we’re very close. I’m 38, he’s only mga 58, [so] 20 years lang agwat namin.”

Bb. Joyce Bernal: “Matagal kasi silang nasa U.S., so noong pumunta ako [doon], yun yung time na nag-bond kami ng tatay ko. Siya yung nagda-drive for me, siya nakakasama ko sa shopping! Saka mas naintindihan ko yung buhay nila doon. Sabi ko, dapat pala hindi na kami humihingi ng pera. Kasi kahit na noong nagdi-direct na ako, alam mo naman mga magulang, [ang] konsepto nila, [dependent ka pa rin]. So pinapadalhan pa rin nila ako ng damit, pera, sapatos, underwear—lahat! Pati na sa bahay, yung mga basic [things], kung pwede nila ipadala, ipapadala nila.”

Dingdong Dantes: “I remember this incident before when I was four, five years old. Very clear sa memory ko. It was raining so hard, and we were looking for a way to get to the movie house to watch Rambo. E talagang malayo yung parking sa entrance. We had to run, we got soaked dahil sa lakas ng ulan!”

Rhian Ramos: “My dad is such a geek when it comes to Harley Davidson. He’s a real Harley and Porsche fan. Before, my dad would probably change his bike like every year, and every Sunday he would take me out, drive me around, as in super pointless—as in wala naman kaming pinupuntahan! He just drives me around, in the bike, and I’m always screaming, ‘Faster! Faster!’ He’d give me the helmet, being the sweet guy that he is—of course, malamang, I’m his daughter! Anyways, we just go to Starbucks. We always order the same thing—we split a cinnamon roll down the middle, [and] he always ends up eating half of my piece! And then we just go home. We did that every Sunday for absolutely no reason.”

Chynna Ortaleza: “Every time we get to bond over our midnight snack. Kasi it’s like a thing we have at home—ever since I was a kid, I used to serve him midnight snacks, and then we get to talk there. And every time he shares a book with me, ‘cos my dad is a wide reader, and he taught me how to appreciate books, so that’s how we bond. He gives me a lot of books, and that’s his way of reaching out to me when he thinks that I have a problem, or if I tell them I’m undergoing stress, or this is my problem at the moment. He gives me a lot of really nice books to help me.”



Kris Bernal: “Hindi kasi kami close ng dad ko, kasi hindi kami masyadong nagkakasama. Pero ang pinaka-gusto kong ginawa niya, siya kasi ‘yung nag-libre ng trip ko sa States. Lahat ng napuntahan namin, dahil sa kanya. Hindi [rin] kami as a family sa States e, dalawa lang talaga kaming mag-ama. ‘Yung daddy ko, siya ‘yung gumastos lahat. E ‘di ba malaking gastos rin ‘yun? Na-touch ako kasi pinag-ipunan niya talaga.”

Bryan Termulo: “Hindi ko alam kung ilang years na ‘yun, pero kasi si Papa nagwo-work siya kahit Sunday. Kami namang magkakapatid, habang [nasa work] siya, inaayos namin ‘yung bahay. Tapos pagdating niya, may mini-party lang. Tapos hindi niya in-expect. Na-surprise namin talaga siya that time! Gumawa pa yata kami ng computerized na ‘Happy Father’s Day’ na banner. Parang kiddie party ang nangyari—pero para sa dad [namin].”

Chariz Solomon: “Sus ko, ang tagal na noon. Last na kita namin, ang tagal na. Pero kami ng daddy ko, sobrang sweet kami. Daddy’s girl talaga ako e. Pag nami-miss ko siya, nasa office siya, kinakantahan ko siya: ‘O daddy ko, miss na miss kita’. Tapos kapag may bagong labas na Barbie, lagi niya akong binibilhan. Lagi niya akong kinakarga, tsaka mahilig kaming magpicture-picture. Spoiled ako sa tatay ko. ‘Yung daddy ko kasi, majarlika siya. (Laughs.) Kami lang ‘yung mahirap. Mabait siyang tao. Medyo mahigpit lang kasi isa siyang militar.”

Jan Nieto: “Para sa akin kasi, as I grow older, ngayon ako mas napapalapit sa parents ko. Medyo baligtad. Anyway, kasi ‘yung dad ko naman is not the sentimental kind of person. Para sa akin, ‘yung pinaka-memorable moment ko with him was when we were on a campaign before. Parang two months, kasama ko siya halos everyday. Hindi pa ako singer noon, pero pinapakanta na niya ako. Para makatulong na rin sa kanya. And we had that special song, ‘yung favorite song niya na kinakanta ko was ‘Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling Ka’. And it turned out when I joined a singing contest, ‘yun ‘yung una kong ni-record na single. Because of him. Because ang alam ko, ‘yung song na ‘yun is one of his favorites.”

Bubbles Paraiso: “A lot! It’s actually what I did for them rather than what they did for me. All my life, my dad was the one who provided everything for me, so after years of modeling, for their anniversary, for my parents, I gave them a trip to Hongkong. And they were really happy, ‘coz my dad, he’s the type na ayaw niya yung luho for himself. He’s gonna give us what we want, but for himself, ayaw niya, so he never had the luxury of traveling or whatever. E kami ni kuya noon, ‘We’re going to Malaysia, etc.’ Yung ganoon? That’s why I gave them an out of the country trip and he really loved it, and he really enjoyed it, ang tagal niyang kinukwento like the fireworks and everything, so it’s really touching.”