IT?S AN absolutely wonderful time to be a father, because this is the day when you get to take your entire family out, perhaps to watch a movie in a mall or to have a nice dinner out, and you still get the privilege of paying the bill.

If you?re lucky, the kids might pool their savings and get you a nice gift, like a cheap necktie you might not use or another set of handkerchiefs, so that the one always in your pocket gets changed every now and then.

Yes, it?s always the kids that make fatherhood a challenge, like maintaining that look of joy when getting these gifts from the kids.

Among all the fathers in the world, I like my hubby Dennis best. He?s always trying to figure out how to find special time for each of the kids, whether it?s visiting Bryan in Singapore or scuba diving with Tyrone or watching Annika dance the tinikling in preparation for her Children?s International Summer Village trip, or taking Athena swimming.

And he still finds time to do some real work, too.

In our house, Dennis is the disciplinarian. You can always tell when he?s serious with the kids, because his tone changes to ?voice of discipline? mode. My kids don?t fear him, though, as he is always fair, listens to their creative excuses and is very lenient with any sanctions given.

Best of all, they know I am always their final Court of Appeals.

Today?s Father?s Day is extra special because Dennis and I are also celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary this same month. So we?re celebrating both events jointly with a little party at the Manila Ocean Park.

Extra-special

It was either that or we were going to catch a movie with the kids at the Gateway Cineplex. We decided to go for something extra and celebrate with our ocean friends.
But the Gateway option came close! These cinemas have recently upgraded to Dolby Super Digital and the results are startling. I remember when my brother revolutionized the movie experience with the first THX theater in our country, Louie?s THX.

Gateway continues the trend of improving the movie-going experience with this latest upgrade, bringing incredible clarity and detail to the screen, both in sounds and images.

Gone are the days when a man on a bicycle would rush spools of 35mm films between theaters. Once in a while he would be late and the entire theater would sit in darkness, waiting for the next spool to be spliced in. And even when he was on time, scratches and other noises would compete with the action on screen.

I took my kids to Gateway to watch ?Night at the Museum 2? and they really enjoyed the experience. They can hardly wait to see ?Ice Age? in 3D, as Gateway Cineplex 10?s Digital Cinemas are the only ones in the country equipped with Dolby Super Digital 2D and 3D technologies. Check it out at www. gatewaycineplex10.com.ph.

Rebirth

Araneta Center is undergoing a fantastic rebirth, with the Araneta Center fast becoming that latest hot shopping and events destination.
Aside from the many concerts headlined at the Araneta Coliseum, there are so many entertaining shows to see. We recently caught the Harlem Globetrotters at the Big Dome. I remember watching the Globetrotters when I was much younger, and the intervening years have not dulled their entertainment prowess.

Speaking of new malls, though, one of the latest and most impressive is also the Eastwood Mall in Quezon City. I was recently there at the launch of R2R Eco-Bags, designed by Rajo Laurel for the mall.

Rags2Riches is a livelihood project that Rajo Laurel is helping, with the objective of creating jobs for the women of Payatas. They create these useful, eco-friendly bags that can fit three or four pairs of shoes.

The sale of the bags also goes to the different projects of the Makati branch of the Philippine Red Cross, while the sale of the shoes helps sustain the businesses in Marikina. It?s really a win-win situation for the environmentally friendly fashionista in all of us.

The innovation I liked best at the Eastwood Mall though, was the special concierge service, which can do stuff like book movie tickets or buy coffee for you while you shop. Now that is service with a smile!

Special fathers

Accentuating the Eastwood difference is their movie cinemas, which have full reclining seats and offer unlimited popcorn and drinks.

Of course, I would suggest you only do one or the other, as eating popcorn while fully reclined may bring on a Heimlich maneuver situation.

All of which is a rather long digression from Father?s Day. So let me conclude by greeting some special fathers.

First off is Francis Lumen, big boss of MTV Philippines. Francis recently held one of the best father-daughter activities possible ?
the successful Pussycat Dolls Concert at SM Mall of Asia.

Another busy dad is Arsenic Laurel, who just opened another Kids At Work Station at Robinson?s Galleria. This is the perfectly fun yet safe and clean playground for fathers to leave their kids in while they shop. A special good luck to Arsenic, too, as he prepare for his campaign for Congress next year.

Another model dad is Camsur Governor L-Ray Villafuerte. He has transformed a rice field into a world-class wakeboarding park, in the process also finding time to bond with his son. They are both excellent wakeboarders.

On the list is soon-to-be dad and my swimming coach, Guy Concepcion. His sporty wife, Tricia Chiongbian, is midway through her pregnancy and is still actively swimming. Guy will surely get his new baby into the water way before he or she learns to walk.

I?m gonna get a lot of flak for leaving so many great Dads off this short list, but please, newsprint is expensive, so I?ll have to list all of you down next time!

Of course, the one Dad I can?t leave off the list is my own, the indomitable and unique Alex P.

Dad and Mom just celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary, and at dinner, he gave us all the line that every father should always remember on Father?s Day: ?Behind every great father is an even greater mother!?

Happy Father?s Day!

E-mail the author at seaprincess@inquirer.com.ph