Dingdong Dantes with wife Marian Rivera and kids Zia and Ziggy
When the community quarantine was first put in place in March, Dingdong Dantes’ son, Sixto, had yet to learn how to stand up on his own.
Now, he’s practically “running around” the house.
But while witnessing such a milestone was an exciting moment for him as a father, Dingdong also couldn’t help but feel worried about the future, not only for his children, but also for their generation.
“At the start of the quarantine, Sixto was just crawling. Then one time, I saw him suddenly stand up and walk. I was happy that I was there to see that milestone in his life. But looking forward, I worry about the kind of world he will live in, post-COVID-19,” he related in a recent online Q&A session hosted by Regal Entertainment on Facebook.
“I’m afraid for our children … the next generation,” admitted the Kapuso star, who has an elder daughter, 4-year-old Zia, with his wife, Marian Rivera.
Still, Dingdong chooses to remain hopeful. But everyone needs to do his or her part, he stressed. “Our children weren’t given to us for no reason. We have to make this world a better place for them because their generation will reap the effects of our actions,” he said.
Dingdong is one of the many local celebrities who heed the call for help of people whose livelihoods have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Andrew’s Fund PH—a fundraising project supported by Dingdong’s charity organization YesPinoy Foundation—has recently finished the third wave of its rice-and-food-pack donations to thousands of marginalized families in poor areas, including those in Smokey Mountain and Payatas.
The drive has also donated boxes of milk to beneficiary families with kids 3 years old and up, as well as sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) to various hospitals.
Dingdong Dantes
“We would like to thank the Philippine Navy, community and church leaders, volunteers, hospital partners, logistics and service providers, donors and our operations team for making the third wave of our food and PPE distribution possible,” Dingdong said in statement posted on YesPinoy’s Instagram page.
It’s heartening to see, Dingdong said, that camaraderie prevailed amid all the struggles people are dealing with at the moment.
“As we face COVID-19, we continue to witness the heroism of Filipinos—the health workers, military, police force, delivery men, media, fast-food crews, sales clerks, volunteers and other front-liners,” he wrote.
“We would like to honor our workers who are dedicating their time and effort; who risk their safety, not only to provide for their loved ones, but also to keep our communities healthy and secure,” Dingdong added.
Prior to the lockdown, Dingdong was busy shooting for GMA-7’s adaptation of the Korean series “Descendants of the Sun,” and preparing for the Metro Manila Summer Film Festival bid of his action film “A Hard Day.”
Now, he gets to spend more time with his family.
“I had been out a lot, working and shooting, so I’m more hands-on now,” said Dingdong, who has been posting on Instagram photos of his bonding activities with Sixto and Zia.
“We have a daily routine. We wake up at a specific time and do the activities and chores we have set. After lunch, we play with the kids. It’s good to have something to look forward to every day … It’s also good to set small goals for the week, like cleaning the kitchen or other parts of the house,” he related.
His time at home is likewise spent strengthening his relationship with Marian even more. “
The time is good for married life. It’s sad it had to happen in this context, but we’re grateful we have each other,” Dingdong said. INQ