Franco Laurel: Happy new dad & blogger

MANILA, Philippines - Like a true artist, Franco Laurel can easily pour out his heart. Whether he is acting, singing or dancing, his passion to express is always felt by his audience. A few years ago, his creativity took an interesting turn, when he started sharing his thoughts via his very own blog aptly titled The Happy Man.

Now on its second year, the singer and new dad (wife Ayen recently gave birth to beautiful baby girl Sofia) is busy writing about events, reviewing theater production, documenting his wife’s pregnancy and sharing other interesting happenings in his life.

From the prominent clan of politicians and artists circles, Franco’s heart is in music and acting just like his uncle, Cocoy Laurel and grand aunt Celia Diaz-Laurel. Lately, however, he has found fulfillment in sharing his thoughts through blogging, an activity he never thought would open a new chapter in his life.

When asked about his Happy Man blog Franco is quick to define his limitations. “I never studied to be a writer, but I enjoy writing,” he said. “During Christmas or birthdays, I would write short notes in greeting cards. I remember my Mom telling me, that I write well. Ako kasi I write what I feel, and I want the recipient to feel good when he reads the card.”

During the first few months of the Internet frenzy, Franco had the habit of reading other people’s blogs. “A lot of people surf, or log on to Facebook, ako, most of the time, I log on to read. I noticed that bloggers can be very critical, very negative. Ayaw ko nun, I remember thinking if I will have a blog. I want it to be uplifting, very positive. I want people to feel good when they read it.”

Franco’s first online exposure was a short essay in his Multiply account. “Back then Multiply was ‘it,’ wala pang Facebook yata. Anyway, I was doing Joseph the Dreamer and I wrote about my relationship with my Dad, how all forgiveness changed my life, for the better. I just wrote what I felt.”

And while he was able to release his feelings, he was surprised at the reader’s reactions. “So many people commented. I didn’t know that people actually read what I wrote,” he said.   

It took a while before Franco found the time to write out his thoughts and start his blog. “At first, I wanted to blog about so many things, but the idea just stayed in my head. I never really got to do it until my wife, Ayen told me to start one.”

Franco started blogging in 2012. He called it The Happy Man blog because it perfectly describes his fulfilling career and family life, especially with the welcome addition of baby Sofia. “My friend JC Buendia, who also has a blog, told me to write about my experiences in traveling, food, the arts, fashion — everything I like. I want to write positive about stuff and take away the negativity so that whoever reads my blog will feel good.”

Among the most-read entries was a series called Daddy Chronicles, where he shares valuable insights on fatherhood including a complete documentation of Ayen’s pregnancy. “I know a lot of people are very curious about my wife, because she was a princess, what people do not know is that she is very down-to-earth. She’s happy being a wife and she likes to cook.”

In his blog, Franco shared that he learned about Ayen’s pregnancy on Father’s Day, “the best Father’s Day gift’ according to him.

Daddy Chronicles ran for months with the blogger sharing his concern over his wife’s morning sickness, loss of appetite and other health-related challenges. The entries included photos of their doctor visits, ultrasound images, including Ayen’s chic maternity outfits.

Readers of his blog, actually feel so close to the family, with Franco openly sharing his opinion on various matters. For instance, some celebrities are known to be very sensitive about their biological age but Franco is the complete opposite. “I am very happy and excited to be a dad again at the age of 41,” he said.

In one of his entries titled I Love Being A Dad, he talked about their unique family set-up, how he became an instant father when he married Ayen in 2001. He writes, “Ayen has two beautiful children prior to our marriage. When I first met them, Mariella was seven years old and Hasan was just three years old. Mariella was sweet and quite shy when I first met her and Hasan was a ball of energy. They were very happy and grounded children. Ayen brought them up very well. When Ayen and I decided to get married in 2001, we told the kids about our plans and we were pleasantly surprised when they were both so happy for us. Even before we got married, Mariella and Hasan asked me if they could call me ‘Dad’ instead of ‘Tito Franco.’ I couldn’t hide my tears when they asked me that. I knew then that they accepted me with open arms.”

Apart from the interesting stories, Franco also includes lots of visuals, enough to vicariously bring the reader at the midst of all the excitement. “I love taking photos. Sometimes it takes a long time for me to upload new entries because I have to choose the photos carefully,” he said.    

And while he has the freedom to express himself, spreading good vibes remains at the top of his list. “If I do not have anything nice to say, then I prefer not to say anything at all,” he said.

For the new dad, he is just as thrilled to learn that there are people, other than his family members, who read his blog.

And because of the growing popularity of his online space, he now receives tons of invitations to all kinds of events. “Whenever they invite me, I have to ask if they are inviting me as a guest, or as a blogger, most of the time it’s because of my blog.”

To accept all invitations will be suicidal. He agrees to attend some events, however, he still ends up with a  hectic social calendar. And while this new endeavor can be very tiring, he is not about to complain. In fact, he feels blessed to be part of this very exciting medium.