How Piolo wants to celebrate Father’s Day with Iñigo

Piolo Pascual (left) with son Iñigo —INSTAGRAM PHOTO

Actor Piolo Pascual said he and son Iñigo became closer when the latter turned 18 because “we were finally able to share stories that my son felt ashamed to tell me before.”

“More than being a dad, I try to be a barkada (friend) to him. Now that I’m 40 and he’s almost 20, our relationship has become more solid. He gets to share things about his work and personal life with me, as well as his concerns,” said Piolo in an interview after the launch of Sun Life Financials’ newest collection of digital films, “Sun Shorts.”

Piolo said it was never difficult being Iñigo’s dad. “I’ve never had to lay a hand on him. He was never stubborn. He’s humble, and he listens. I didn’t have a hard time raising him at all,” the actor shared with the Inquirer.

What makes Piolo sad is that he and Iñigo never get to hang out much lately. “When he isn’t in school, he’s at work. Whenever I say he should spend more time with his father, he’d tell me that I was just like him when I was his age. He says he’s just following my footsteps, so I keep quiet.”

This is why Piolo looks forward to Father’s Day on June 18. “When my own dad was still alive, we’d always prepare something for him. It’s a time when we can make our fathers feel truly special. Every year on that day, Iñigo would always do something very personal for me—like, he’d give me a card. I’m hoping to spend the whole day with him.”

On June 17, Piolo said he would be seen on “Maalaala Mo Kaya” as the selfless father Ryan Arebuabo of Tondo, Manila, whose photo recently went viral after it was uploaded on Facebook. The picture shows a scrawny man watching over his two daughters while they eat fried chicken at a fast-food restaurant.

“I said ‘yes’ to it because it’s a nice story. What he did was very noble. I didn’t know that he went through so much in life. I had a hard time portraying the role,” Piolo said. “But his story is what the drama anthology is all about. It showcases stories that touch the hearts of Filipino viewers.”

At the Sun Life launch, former ABS-CBN president and “Maalaala Mo Kaya” host Charo Santos-Concio had been very vocal about wanting to see Piolo work again with former onscreen partner Judy Ann Santos. Asked for his reaction, Piolo said: “I’m just waiting for Juday’s availability. I’ve learned so much from working with her. We did a lot of TV soaps and films together. I owe her a lot. She sort of trained me, made me feel comfortable on the set.”

The actor added: “There’s a right time for everything. Nothing has changed between us. We will always be good friends. I’ll never cut my ties with Juday. It’s important for me to remember and be grateful to the people who have helped me along the way.”