Gabby Concepcion, girl dad of 5, at 60
Actor Gabby Concepcion, a father of five daughters, believes that one of the most reassuring moments for a father is meeting a suitor who is respectful and willing to court not just his daughter but her parents as well.
“That’s the best feeling. I’d give the guy 100 points if he comes to me and says, ‘Good morning, Sir. I just want you to know that I’m going out with your daughter, and I mean well.’ That’s super okay with me,” he told Lifestyle during a recent media gathering.
Concepcion said that one nonshowbiz suitor actually approached him to formally express his intentions toward his eldest daughter, KC. “He was very kind. I wish all suitors were like him. If that were the case, I’d probably feel confused because they’d all be telling me they mean well. But I think that’s a good problem to have,” he said.
“It’s funny because sometimes, I accidentally call them ‘pare.’ That’s how comfortable I get with them. I want them to feel that, too, so they will take care of my children well.”
KC is Concepcion’s daughter with his ex-wife, actress Sharon Cuneta. He has four other daughters—Garie (with Grace Ibuna), Cloie (with Jenny Syquia), and Samantha and Savannah (with his current wife, Genevieve Gonzales).
“This is what I always tell my daughters: ‘You’re going to love somebody. Loving is part of life, so you need to feel that.’ I actually want to be a little selfish here—I always say it’s better if the guy loves you more than you love him. But then again, love goes both ways. I don’t know what your relationship will be like with that guy—or girl—but whatever it is, you have to enjoy the moment. Always aim to be happy,” he said.
Giving his best shot
Concepcion turned 60 four months ago. On aging, he said: “I don’t think I really experienced a midlife crisis … I’d love to hear from someone who’s actually gone through it. I guess it’s because I take things lightly. I don’t overthink. I remember what my father used to tell me, ‘Nand’yan ka na lang rin, gawin mo na.’ In anything I do, I give it my all. I’m not always successful, but at least I try. At least I know I gave it my best.”
The media gathering was to launch the “Healthy is the new handsome” campaign of mWell, the digital health care arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC).
Asked about his role as the wellness champion and ambassador, the actor said: “I can talk about health publicly, but I know anything can happen to me, too. Life is short, so we need to do our best while we still have time. We don’t want to wake up one day saying, ‘I should’ve, I could’ve, I would’ve.’ Whatever we can do now to help extend our lives, let’s start doing it today. At least now, we have easy access to information—what to eat, what not to eat, what to do, what to avoid.”
These days, Concepcion spends more time at his family’s beach house in Lobo, Batangas. “It’s my happy place. It keeps me sane,” he said.
Quality time
Recently, he tried teaching one of his daughters how to drive. “There was one day when we did nothing but drive. I wanted her to learn how to use a stick shift,” he said. “I’m very patient. I prefer personally teaching her rather than hiring an instructor. My daughter said she liked this setup better because she doesn’t feel shy about asking questions. At least we’re both enjoying our time together.”
Concepcion said retiring is still far from his mind. “A lot of people are asking me to run for politics,” he said, adding that he actually considered running for public office years ago.
“I didn’t push for it, and so I don’t feel the urge anymore. But if something like this comes around in the future, it would be nice. It’s just that politics is very sensitive now. I’m actually torn between serving in government and preserving my personal life,” he said.
Believe it or not, Concepcion never really thought he’d end up in show business. “I really wanted to become a pilot—this was before I discovered that I was colorblind. So, I learned to take anything that comes my way. I first try to see if I can learn from it, if I’m physically fit enough for it. I honestly didn’t aspire for anything else other than these three things: to take up dentistry, to fly, and to work in real estate.”
