MANILA, Philippines - Most of the time, it is fatherhood that makes a man.
There are a few key moments in a man’s life: when he drives his first car, earns his first paycheck, buys his own place, gives his name to the love of his life. Perhaps the biggest, most pivotal of all is when a man holds his child for the first time.
Plunged into the great unknown that is the world of fatherhood, it is in this moment that he goes from being a “M-A-N†to a “D-A-D.†Life gets classified into BC (Before Child) and AC (After Child) and for a first time dad, nothing is more exciting.
Today, as we pay homage to the most important men in our lives, three dads — Doug Kramer, Armand del Rosario and Paolo Trillo — shed some light on what it means to be a father, sharing the best times spent with their kids.
Doug Kramer
Doug Kramer, PBA player for Barako Bull Energy Cola and husband of actress-model Cheska Garcia, describes the very first moment he became a dad as the best in his entire life — bigger and better than the most prestigious trophies or awards. “When Kendra (firstborn) came out… that was it. I was a father, and I knew from then on I would live my life for her and not just for myself.†Kramer’s family has grown since, with the addition of Scarlett and Gavin. Even with three children, he never misses a beat, making it a point to be around them for everything — the first step, smile, or word. Watching his children grow into unique individuals, even at their young age, is one of his favorite things about being a father. Kendra, who is four, is a daddy’s girl who showers him with affection and follows him everywhere he goes. A year-old Scarlett is a charmer whose smile “lights up the world.†And the baby, Gavin, who is four months old, has inherited his father’s looks and strength, lifting his own head up at the age of two weeks. “I’m so attached to my kids that just spending time with them makes everything better for me,†he shares.
Armand del Rosario
These same sentiments are shared by Armand del Rosario, a Kaya Football Club player and coach who, together with his wife, wedding planner Georgia Schulze, has three beautiful daughters: Nadia, Sonia and Katia. Living in the Philippines where taking care of children is a responsibility shared between parents and yayas, Del Rosario treasures the alone time he has with his girls, taking them out on weekly dates to places like Jamba Juice or Pancake House. “These times alone with them are great for bonding,†he says.
It may seem as though he’s become an expert on raising daughters but Del Rosario says no experience is the same as each one has her own personality. Nadia, the eldest, is a bright girl who loves spending time with the family and is a good ate to the two younger ones. Sonia, his “firecracker†as Del Rosario describes her, is the sweet but mischievous middle child with a magnetic personality. Finally Katia, the baby of the family, is a daddy’s girl at heart and the child he is most lenient with. Though each unique in her own way, the girls are beautiful, intelligent and very sweet to their parents. “I always wanted a girl. Now I have three of them! It’s knowing that I have three wonderful daughters to look after and have them looking after me that makes me so happy,†says Del Rosario.
Paolo Trillo
The blissful bond between father and daughter is a newfound experience for Paolo Trillo, manager of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, and married to model Rissa Mananquil. Their daughter Celestia, who is now 10 months old, has a happy disposition and bubbly personality. She has her mother’s dimples and photogenic face, as well as a smile that makes Trillo feel like nothing in the world can go wrong.
Trillo recalls the mix of anxiousness and excitement brewing inside him on the day Celestia was born. He has since broken into the shoes of fatherhood and loves every minute of it. “Together with my wife, I love having the responsibility of raising a family. Just being there for all of them, and going through life’s ups and downs together. It’s what I live for,†he says. Indeed he does. He describes his favorite moments with Celestia as the simple times spent together, whether reading books in bed, playing peek-a-boo, or pulling funny faces she can’t help but giggle at.
For these three dads, nothing brings more joy and fulfillment than time spent with their kids. Whether it’s a few hours of playtime, a trip to the ice cream store every few weeks, or watching their child learn something new, it’s in these small, everyday moments that the best memories are made.
This Father’s Day, TechnoMarine salutes all the dedicated fathers with TechnoMarine’s Father’s Day. Up to June 23, TechnoMarine will give all fathers a 25 percent discount on selected collections: Cruise Night Vision 2, UF6, Steel Evolution and Cruise Ceramic for Men.
(TechnoMarine stores are located in TriNoma, SM Megamall, Greenbelt 3, Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons Magnolia, SM City North EDSA and SM City Cebu. TechnoMarine watches are also available at My Tempo and select My Diamond stores.)