Dingdong Dantes on fatherhood and what it’s taught him about work and himself

Dingdong Dantes on fatherhood and what it's taught him about work and himself

ingdong Dantes is a lot of things: a prized actor, the box-office king, a navy reservist. He’s a successful businessman, a sought-after endorser, a leader of a couple of civic groups, Marian Rivera’s husband.

Of all the roles he’s come to play though, it’s being Zia and Sixto’s father that perhaps defines his life most accurately these days.

Speaking with GMA News Online at the sidelines of his recent contract renewal with GMA Network last May, Dingdong couldn’t come up with just one word to describe his life. He settled with a made-up portmanteau instead: “Dada-preneurship,” Dingdong laughs.

Good-naturedly, he explains “Dada kasi yung tawag nung dalawa sa ‘kín (The kids call me Dada),” and already fatherhood already takes precedence.

He says so much has changed since he became a father of two. “Parang 360,” he begins. “Nagbago siya sa oras ng pagtulog, sa oras ng paggising, ‘yung sounds ko sa bahay, ‘Yung film list ko wala na talaga. Pagbukas ko ng TV, lahat pambata,” he shakes his head. He’s come to enjoy coloring, he adds. “Therapeutic pala siya.”

[My life has changed 360. My bedtime has changed, my wakeup time has changed. Even my music at home, and my film list have changed. When I switch open the TV, everything is for kids.]

Team Dantes has been a family of four for a good five years now. Dingdong and Marian Rivera got married in 2014 and became parents to Zia in 2015. They welcomed Sixto in 2019, right around the time Dingdong had his previous contract renewal with the Kapuso Network.

Incidentally, that was also the last time Dingdong spoke with GMA News Online at length. Back then, he spoke of “cannonball moments,” or life experiences that jolted awake his life purpose. He was intense, a lot serious, and severely lacking in sleep, he now says.

It was the actor himself who reminded us of that conversation, surprising us by admitting he had just reread our profile story on him. “I wanted to see if I’m still in that mindset,” he explains.

Dingdong says he’s somewhat still in that mindset, but not really. “Anduon pa rin yung grit and determination but these days, I’m more relaxed,” he says. “Mas kalmado na ngayon (I’m calmer now).”

Dingdong adds he’s no longer in a hurry. He looks more comfortable too, and at ease even as he knows he’s becoming uncool in the eyes of his growing children, Zia who is nearly nine and the five-year-old Sixto. When asked what his favorite dad joke was, he shakes his head and laughs: “Makita lang nila ako, joke na (Just seeing me is already a joke for them).”

“Sobrang na-ko-cornihan sila sa ‘kin (they find me corny),” the 43-year-old actor continued, still shaking his head.

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COURTESY: DINGDONG DANTES/FACEBOOK

COURTESY: DINGDONG DANTES/FACEBOOK