Every day should be Father's Day

Amid the usual commercial exploitation of holidays, thoughts turn serious this Father's Day for some. While some dads relish the idea of an entire day that lets them relax and bask in the attention of their doting (or obligated) children, others would rather have every day as Father's Day.

"Father's day is one of those events that restaurants, companies, malls, etc. invent to establish a day that will make you feel an obligatory purchase," says pop artist JP Cuison, father of toddler Sashi. His seemingly grouchy attitude actually has its roots in the somewhat sentimental belief that every day should be Father's Day. De-commercializing Father's Day Cuison shares that since everyday for him is a "father's day," he loves to reminisce about his moments with his own dad when he was a child, and he would teach him how to draw. His ideal Father's Day is one that isn't taken advantage of by establishments. Physician Chris Herrera agrees. Herrera, who thinks the holiday is superfluous and commercialized, much like Mother's Day and Valentine's, has some serious thoughts on fatherhood. Despite not being a father, he believes that "every son grows up either to emulate or reject who his father was and your biggest fear is that you'll never be half the man your father is to you or your family." "I don't believe that anyone should celebrate Father's Day. You do him proud by being a man," he says. Still worth celebrating For others, Father's Day is still worth a celebration, whether you believe in the holiday or not. "I think it's just apt that it be celebrated, but there seems to be something missing from it,' says freelance writer Cyrus Fernandez. "For me kasi, it's not as big as Mother's Day, or maybe that's just me thinking that dahil kahit male-dominated ang pinas, matriarchal pa rin tayo by nature," he adds. Still, he admits that they celebrate by going out to eat. "The thought is there, but we don't make a big deal out of it," he says. But for those who aren't able to spend the day with their dads, Father's Day can be a difficult time. Isabelle Lau gets teary-eyed every chance she gets around Father's Day. She very rarely gets to spend time with her father, who lives in China. "I've been missing him a lot lately. I'll probably greet him through e-mail. Because I have to and because he'll ask for a greeting," she says, adding that even though her father never really wanted kids, he's really into Father's Day. Lau says that even if a lot of people make money off it, we should still celebrate Father's Day. "It should be celebrated because that's what holidays are for. And even if we deny it, we do feel special on certain holidays," says Lau. Bonding time with Dad Elmer, whose dad passed away in 2006, waxes sentimental when he thinks about the "machines" that they shared and bonded them together. "I recall time we spent together cleaning the car which I guess would be the closest we got to flying a plane together since our old car had wings," says Elmer, who was allowed to sit behind the wheel, even though he was only 12, and the youngest of his siblings. "I seemed to have a knack for driving from an early age, and I guess the moment made him really proud," says Elmer, who also has an affinity for another machine - the camera. "We always shared the sense of excitement while waiting for the film to get developed and each time I would produce a great shot, he would be so proud and happy with my accomplishments," says Elmer, recalled the ikoflex box camera with 120 film and a handheld analog lightmeter, which he first learned photography with. "The timer for delayed exposure actually had a spring coil that wound like an alarm clock," he says. Although his dad is no longer here, he lives on in the little things. "Until this day, I still cherish the old ikoflex. Both our dads have since gone and it's true that talking with them now is much more difficult to do," says Elmer, imparting an important message to those whose fathers are still around. Whether you're a fan of Father's Day or not, it can't hurt to greet your dad today. Better yet, why not make every day Father's Day? — TJD, GMA News