Dear Papa...

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Happy Father's Day!

Today, the world honors the pillars of our lives by celebrating Father's Day and what better way to let them know how special and important they are to us than by simply letting them know.

Below is a compilation of compelling and moving letters written by some Cebu's top bloggers. If you haven't written your letter yet, fret not! There's plenty of time! Grab a pen and paper and just write your heart out. Wishing you all a lovely celebration!

Hi Pa, 

I'm writing to you not because it's an annual celebration for fathers but because you owe to know how much I love you. You've always been there for me even if you don't say too many words unlike mom. Your current achievements makes me very proud of you. You've always been an inspiration to me since then. I can still remember how you throw jokes just to make us laugh and that's something worth to be remembered for a lifetime. The way you decide and think of the future is so admirable. Balancing your time is also one thing I'm proud of. No wonder mom chose you among all her suitors. HAHA. I could already picture out how surprise you will be seeing this letter but that's totally fine. 

This year is extremely important for you since you'll be taking the BAR exam. You'll have to stay in Manila for few weeks which means miles apart from us. I think this is the longest time that you won't be with us but that's for a greater purpose. It's not an easy thing to do since you should dedicate more time in studying but I'm certain you'll handle it well. I may not show it every minute or every second but my support is always with you. No matter what happens, you'll always be the best father in the entire world, galaxy, universe or whatever they call it. I love you Papa Angelito and I always will. Thank you God for giving me a father like Papa Angelito.

Your only daugther,

Christy
Blogger - Talk About Cebu

Dear A, 

Our son and I are happy and blessed to have you. You're an awesome papa and husband too. The place that you hold in my mind is as big as the place that you hold in my heart. 

In case you don't know, there's another side of you that only shows when you are with our son. It's a side that I never realized I would be so happy to see. I know you only want the best for him. I understand that you only want him to experience the world, even though it's scary. It's okay if you think it's ridiculous for me to stop him from playing outside, for thinking he shouldn't have wounded knees, and for not letting him get a taste of a real childhood life. I now know you are right! 

No matter what we do, we can't stop our son from growing up. Thank you for helping me realize the bittersweet nature of parenthood and for sharing that bittersweetness with me all the time. 

They say nobody's perfect but to us you are the perfect papa, best friend, and playmate! Thank you for the love and care beyond compare. 

When our son was born, you were also born as a father - 5 years down, a lifetime to go! Every single day we celebrate your fatherhood. But today, let me just say Happy Father's Day! We love you and cheers to more years of being parents!

Rea
Blogger - Blissful Snapshots

Happy dada’s day! 

Did I ever tell you how grateful I am for having such a wonderful person such as you? I know I can get so short-tempered at times but know that deep inside, I am thankful that you do such a great job at taking care of me and our daughter. Times may be tough but I know that we can get through this together. It’s only just the beginning, after all. I love you so much and I look forward to more adventures (and more challenges) together. 


Pam
Blogger - Hey, Miss Adventures

My Tatay as I fondly call him

Being a Tatay's girl, I was blessed to have him as my father. He may not be perfect but he has certain qualities that make him stand out. 

He used to be a brigade commander of their High School's CAT Unit, and in fact, he was the most "hard headed" commander to note in their school's history. No wonder I got that head strong personality and sometimes, being stubborn from him. 

Also, only family members had the guts to call him "kugtong", a Cebuano term for a local endemic fish here in the Visayas area. He was of big built, and he was towering at 5'10". 

He was, together with his sister and brother, the original foodies. They greatly influenced my love for food, especially Spanish cuisine. He is the only one who can make me eat goat meat, which translates into Goat Kaldereta, and he is the only one who can make me eat Linarang na Pagi. Though rays are already banned from being consummed, at one point in my life, I was able to eat Stingray meat cooked Larang style. 

He actually has a special skill in knife and blade care. I got my affinity of knives, sharps and anything bladed from him. Though he does not approve of me handling sharps, I still pursue my passion for knife and blades.

He also instilled the value of environmental protection and being a responsible outdoor enthusiast since I was young. He exposed me early on in life to the wonders of being outdoors. I remember spending my childhood summers in our province in Aloguinsan, where I usually spend playing with my cousins at the ridge. We would see Mt. Kanlaon at an eye level distance, while enjoying the downhill race on coconut branches. It was him whom I got the passion to be a mountaineer. And FYI, he can still climb coconut trees even at his 50's! I remember back when I was young that he would always make me walk around 4K or so when we spend our summers at Aloguinsan. On top of that, I used to bring my bag with a load of 3-4 kg or so! IT is actually heavy for a young kid like me. Talk about early training for TREKKING! 

Since he is a foodie, he always finds an excuse for me to cook for him, though my cooking skills are not as stellar as his. He and his late sister, Mama Yonie, and his late brother, Tatay Elmo, would always request me to cook for them whenever we have the chance to have a get together at our grandparent's house. 

HE is quiet strict with my studies before, and when I found it difficult to study MATH, he was the only one who can make me study it with no excuses. 

Also, with all of these, he is an excessive water drinker! We can actually consume 6L or more of water each day individually! Imagine that. 

So with that, folks. My Tatay is a normal dude who got extraordinary talents. I am so blessed to have him as my father.

Jeane Louise
Blogger - Viajera Cebuana

Thank  you so much ladies for sharing your letters and well wishes with the rest of us!
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And of course, let us all light a candle in remembrance of the dads who are now in heaven.

Happy Father's Day Everyone!