By ANNIE S. ALEJO
MANILA, Philippines - He celebrates one year as a co-host in “Eat… Bulaga” this month, but what occupies Ryan Agoncillo’s mind these days is the impending birth of baby boy. In fact, Ryan admits begging off joining the show’s cast in the U.S. recently as wife Judy Ann Santos was about five weeks away from giving birth at that time.
In intimate dinner hosted by Chevrolet to introduce Ryan as its first-ever local brand ambassador and endorser for the new Cruze model, the expectant father shared with Bulletin Entertainment some amusing and mostly practical insights on his life as a married man and second-time dad.
Baby, Oh!
Already, Ryan is thinking of how he and his son would bond. “What I want is for us to at least have the same interest,” he says of Lucho. “Pero parang feeling ko, hindi ‘ata ganon mag-work ang mag-ama eh. Napapasin ko, habang pinipilit ng tatay ang interest niya, the kid just gets bored. Halimbawa, ‘yung mga kaibigan kong karerista, ayaw kumarera nung anak kasi they remember getting bored at the racetrack while waiting for daddy, ‘di ba?”
He continues, “So, I’m not gonna bore my kid with my stuff. I’ll let him do his own stuff. And then hopefully it leads him back to… Hindi ‘yung playtime niya, pinipilit ko siyang manood sa akin sa karera. Hangga’t maari nga i-deprive para manggigil. ‘Yun ‘yung sinasabi ng kaibigan ko, hindi mo magagawa ‘yan. Ako parang, it’s worth a shot.”
Setting Priorities
“I’m a host in the morning, in the afternoon I’m one of the boys and then at night I’m daddy,” Ryan enumerates. While some young fathers may find their new lives daunting, especially with very small children, he seems to be taking it all in stride.
“Siguro just another slice in the pie. I’ve had to work harder, of course, for the family, pero it’s not even a sacrifice eh. It’s not only your future you’re concerned about… it’s your kids’.”
And with the second baby, this celebrity couple needs to consider changing their schedules. “I don’t know about Juday’s plans. As far as I know parang one year and a half siyang magbabakasyon. Hindi ko alam, I think [she might do] guestings,” he admits.
“Pero ‘yung akin, of course you want to have as many opportunities as possible,” he points out. “Pero hindi na ako pwede ‘yung uuwi lang sa bahay para kumuha ng gamit tapos aalis agad. You have to spend time with your kids. I think kaya ‘Eat… Bulaga,’ being my day job, is perfect for me.”
Lifestyle Changes
Perhaps unknown to some, Ryan is actually a racing enthusiast (he has given up motorcycle racing, but says he drifts), which also makes him a perfect car brand ambassador. “I never had a need for a four-door sedan… But now that I’m a family guy, there’s actually a need for one,” he states.
While they have a family van, the ride could be rough for the pregnant Judy Ann, who also couldn’t drive her SUV these days. “We wanted a car na would regularly fit me, my wife, our daughter… and whenever needed, the nanny… So four-door sedan na, na hindi matalbog,” he says.
When the offer was made to him to try out the Chevy Cruze, Ryan—who has never owned a sedan before—had to think it over seriously. “The transition to owning a sedan, I have to admit, ang laking… Well, of course we have more problems in the world than what car to drive… but for the sake of obsessing over it, I wanted to see what sedan I could live with.”
Owing to the fact that his family has had big Chevys before, he agreed to take the Cruze out for a spin. He then quickly realized, “Ah, not bad! It’s a beautiful car!”
A New Endorsement
As with his hosting job, representing the Chevy brand and the Cruze model is another perfect opportunity for Ryan. And despite his initial misgivings, Ryan now essays, “The Cruze has the look of a more expensive car. You always like that. And gusto ko ‘yung loob niya—it’s pretty unique na the glow is blue coming from the cockpit. And ako, gustong-gutso ko talaga ‘yung steering wheel-controlled. Of course you have it in the high-end sedans. But in a compact… and then for that price… it’s a sweet deal.”
When asked if the car reflects his personality, Ryan points out, “I think I’m pretty safe and stable. And this car feels very safe, feels very stable and solid. And would think at this point in life I’m pretty solid. I know exactly where I’m going… hopefully I get there.”
Secret to a Happy Marriage
Ryan and Judy Ann’s marriage does seem easy and stress free, but like most couples, they do work at it. And Ryan shares the secret to their happy union.
“The iPad,” he says of his current favorite gadget. “She [Judy Ann] has her own unit and I think it helped out marriage.”
“Kasi… we don’t have to talk to each other anymore. Ganda eh, uuwi ako, hindi na kami kailangan magbolahan,” he laughs out loud. “I think that’s my strongest case for that gadget… ‘You never have to talk to you husband again, it’s perfect for your marriage’.”
He also credits the DVD system in their van and the big TV in their bedroom—which he initially didn’t want, but his wife insisted on—with providing them the same marital benefits.
And when we point out that his wife might protest, he declares, “No, she will agree one hundred percent!”
A jokester like most of his co-hosts in “Eat... Bulaga,” what Ryan has actually demonstrated is that the secret to a happy marriage is great sense of humor.
MANILA, Philippines – The mother of actress Judy Ann Santos has shot down reports that her daughter gave birth Saturday morning.
NEXT month Ryan Agoncillo marks another milestone in his life: he will become a father to his son with superstar Judy Ann Santos...and the TV host couldn’t hide his excitement with the arrival of his firstborn.
