‘Bato’ gets soft on being ‘papa’
Today, Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, the Philippine National Police Chief, will simply be “papa” to his family, a job he says he completely enjoys.
To celebrate Father’s Day, the country’s top cop will take at least a few hours to pause and enjoy the company of his wife and three adult children – two daughters and one son – who he expects to take him out on a date and to treat him to his favorite crispy pata.
Life as a father to General Bato, as he is widely known, is not easy especially with the kind of job that he has. But with his trademark confident smile, he says that if one loves what he is doing, everything eventually comes easy.
In an interview during his visit to the Manila Bulletin Office in Intramuros Thursday, the 55year-old Dela Rosa said being a father is very taxing, but he enjoys every moment of it.
"Sa akin mahirap (maging daddy) dahil overfatigued din ako. Lagi ko iniisip kung kumusta na ang mga anak ko, saan na sila? Ano nangyari sa kanila? (For me, it’s hard because I'm overfatigued also. I always think of my children. How they are doing? Where they are? What's happening to them?)," he said.
"Kaya mahirap may trabaho ka na may pamilya ka pa inaalagaan. Pero nag-eenjoy ka basta may love, basta andyan ang love palagi. Walang mahirap basta love pag-uusapan. I really love my children (It’s hard because you have a job, and you have a family to take care of. But you enjoy everything if there is love. Nothing is hard if love is present)," he added.
In our conversation, it was easy to sense his big heart for his children, two of them already college graduates while the youngest is now at the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).
Since he had come from a poor family, he said he spoils his children, giving them everything that he can afford to.
“I don’t want them to experience poverty,” he said in Tagalog.
"Mahirap ang childhood ko kaya bilang daddly, ayokong maexperience nila ang na-experience ko na kahirapan.Kaya bigay todo ako sa kanila (I have a very rough childhood that's why as a dad, I don't want them to experience what I experienced which is poverty)," he said.
But he said he is also strict with his children, even jealous with their attention. "As a dad, seloso ako sa aking mga dalaga,” he said.
Today, Father's Day, General Bato said he expects his wife and children to take him out on a date and treat him to a hearty meal.
"Dapat i-blowout nila ako. Ini-expect ko na i-date nila ako, pakainin nila ako. Father's Day eh dapat sila naman ang taya (They should treat me. I expect that they will take me out on a date. It's Father's Day they should be the ones to spend for me)," Dela Rosa said.
To all fathers, the top cop has a stern advice: “Be a good role model, and be strong. You are the head of your family and the strong foundation of your home. Your children look up to you.”
"If you are a good father you will produce good children, " he added.