Son, Husband, Father
It was 11 a.m. on a Tuesday morning and Juancho Trivino showed up on the Zoom screen looking dapper in his light blue button-up shirt and brushed up hairstyle. He beamed right before the interview began, and was eager to talk about the biggest role he has yet to play in his life so far: being a father.
Throughout his nine years in showbiz, we’ve seen Juancho play several roles in Kapuso TV series and films. At the time of our interview, he was fresh from hosting a TV special for an online shopping platform on GMA. And outside of showbiz, Juancho also plays several other roles such as that of a son, a brother, a husband, and an entrepreneur.
Soon, he’ll be adding one more role to his plate, as he and his wife Joyce Pring welcome their first child. But unlike all his other roles, which he can snap out of as soon as the director says “cut,” being a father is a 24/7 job and it’s a role that Juancho will be playing for the rest of his life.
In his exclusive interview with GMANetwork.com, Juancho talked about his whole journey to fatherhood, from the time he was a little child observing his father, to becoming one of the “sons” that GMA nurtured and molded, and up to the time he became a devoted husband and expectant father that he is today.
Read on and find out all about Juancho Trivino’s journey to the next chapter of his life: fatherhood.
During the interview, Juancho described the combined anticipation and preparation that they’re going through as the arrival of their firstborn nears.
“Kakatapos lang niya ng eighth month. Kabuwanan na niya currently. She’s set to give birth right about mga last week of June to first week of July. Nag-iintay na kami. Ito na ’yung sinasabi ng maraming friends namin na pinagdaanan ’yung pregnancy na medyo nakakainip na, kasi hindi na kami puwedeng lumabas—or hindi naman talaga kami lumalabas—pero marami na kaming ’di puwedeng gawin dahil iniintay namin ’yung anak namin. So, a lot of waiting, a lot preparing. Lahat ng mga dadalhin namin sa hospital naka-ready na. Siguro mga final touches na lang sa mga paperwork that we have to fill out when we get to the hospital.”
Strengthening their physical and spiritual resolve has been part of the preparations, too.
“Right now, we’re actually focusing on our physical and spiritual preparation. Physical, meaning kailangan pa rin ni Joyce mag-walk around para mas hindi siya mahirapan and ako rin siyempre, dahil pagdating ng baby namin and siya (Joyce), it’s going to be a lot of hard work.
“Sabi nila mga three months of hard work na walang tulugan. So, medyo mapapabayaan namin ‘yung mga katawan namin atsaka magiging puyat kami. So, that’s what we’re preparing (for) also, na maging ready na kami when the time comes. But overall, we’re very excited. We can’t wait. We can’t wait for him to come out. And this stage also, every week na rin kasi ’yung check-up ni Joyce kaya ayon, medyo week by week ang progress namin.”
Both Juancho and Joyce are excited to welcome their baby boy soon, but it’s inevitable for the first-time parents to feel pre-birth jitters. Juancho admitted that he feels the great pressure of becoming a father for the first time.
“Yes, that’s a lot of pressure. Sabi nga nila when we were getting prepared for ’yung ito, ’yung marriage and parenthood, ito ’yung trabaho na no days off. Being a husband, walang off switch ’yan, ’tsaka being a parent also. And nakaka-pressure siya in a sense na we are responsible for a soul that we’re going to mold from the very beginning, ’di ba? So, it’s a very big responsibility to have because siyempre makikita mo kung papano namin siya pinalaki, kung in a negative way or a positive way. Obviously, there are no perfect ways, but ’yun nga, ’yung pressure na pinag-uusapan ko is just a lot and (it’s) exciting also.”
And since he’s well aware of the great responsibility that comes with fatherhood, Juancho is making sure he will try to be the best father that he can be. He knows exactly how he is gearing up to take on the biggest role that he will be playing in his life.
“Papaano pinaghahandaan ‘yun? A lot of prayers. No matter how many books we read, minsan ’di ba, iba pa rin kapag nandiyan na. Yes, we do our part. We read our books pa rin. We attend a lot of parenting classes sa ngayon, and we make sure that our marriage is strong, because isa rin ’yun sa makikita ng anak namin, kung papaano namin mahalin ang isa’t isa.
“And ’yun, siguro pagkadating na lang niya dito, I think it’s still going to be a lot of learning, a lot of classes that we’ll attend, a lot of adversity, and a lot of, you know, ’yung mga good times and bad that we will learn from and grow from. Siguro, I think, in general, it’s a lot of having an open mind and the willingness to change over time. That’s going to be important for us in the future.”
Juancho also detailed how they plan to take on their new roles during the first few months after their baby is born. For the most part, Joyce will be focusing on recuperation and nurturing her newborn, while Juancho will be taking on less work in the meantime to be present for his family.
“Well, tuluy-tuloy sana ’yung trabaho. Pero ngayon kasi times are different. Hindi namin kaya pa na mag-lock in ako any time soon because of ’yun nga, ’yung pagkadelikado ng sitwasyon. After she gives birth, siguro I’ll take one or two months na hindi ako magte-taping muna. Lie low muna, except for mga special events. Pero bawas na muna ’pag after she gives birth. Pero we plan rin naman na mas ako, kasi hindi si Joyce e, mas ako ’yung will go out and work for the family.”
Juancho also revealed that no negotiation had to be made regarding the division of work in taking care of the baby. In general, part of their game plan is working as a team, with each of them having specific tasks to carry out.
“Hindi namin napag-usapan. Actually, na-discuss siya sa parenting class na inattendan namin, and nag-agree na lang kami dun. Hindi na kami umabot dun sa negotiation between the both of us. It’s like si Joyce kasi needs her rest, and she’ll go through a lot giving birth kasi. So, kailangan niya as much as possible kapag hindi nagbe-breastfeed is matulog siya and ako ’yung magche-change ng diapers, ako ’yung magpapa-araw sa baby, ako ’yung medyo tututok sa kanya sa gabi to make sure everything’s alright up until ’yung mga third or fourth month. So, ganun siya. Ganun ang hatian.”
While it seems like Juancho wants his son to fulfill a dream he once had for himself, Juancho was quick to clarify that they’ll be rooting for their son whatever sport he might be interested in. In general, he prays that his son will love sports as much as he and his wife, Joyce, do.
“Ultimate dream ko is… I don’t know, may frustration kasi ako playing professionally ng sports. Gusto namin ’yon for him. Gusto rin namin siyang maging pro in any field that he would want to [get into]. Hindi namin alam. I mean, kahit ano’ng sport naman na magugustuhan niya would be okay for us. Kami ni Joyce kasi we’re very sporty, e. So, kahit ano, hindi natin alam kung ano’ng uso by that time, so makikita natin.”
What’s the one thing he would not like his son to go through?
“Heartbreak ang ayokong maranasan niya. Although siyempre to an extent parati mo naman talagang mararanasan ’yon, but it’s tough kasi. Lalo na when you’re growing up na akala mo ’yun na talaga ’yung pagmamahal, ’yung mga puppy love nung high school. It’s such a traumatizing experience also. Pero ’yun nga e, it also really shapes how you are as a man, if you get past heartbreaks.”