What Pinoy Dads Secretly Want for Father's Day, Say the Best Buds

Are dads being honest when they say they enjoy receiving socks as presents? Shopping for the main man in your life could get perplexing at times, especially when said man insists that he wants to be surprised with a set of plain white undershirts. 

Your panic is understandable. After all, Father’s Day is coming up soon, and the time to shop is running out. So to get to the bottom of this eternal puzzle, we went straight to the people who know all about our men’s deepest, darkest, most selfish desires: their best buds. Ten of them honestly describe what dads really want for Father’s Day. Read on and be educated.

Bag
The dad: Mike, sales executive
The best bud: Dudut, entrepreneur
“We don’t really talk about shopping, or what we want to buy,” says Dudut. “But kung ako lang, I’d say what Mike secretly wants is a bag. Ang gamit kasi niya ngayon, lumang clutch bag. ‘Yung parang gagamitin ni Eddie Garcia. So I think para mas pogi naman ang dating ng bag niya, I’d say Mike will appreciate a leather bag that’s simple but nice-looking.”

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A foreign adventure and the latest Canon camera
The dad: Winston, photographer
The best bud: Dondi, owner of an insurance brokerage
“I think Winston would love a foreign adventure holiday with the family,” says Dondi. “It’s really a chance to build unforgettable memories with his wife and kids. This, plus the newest Canon camera to capture those moments and new memories.”
Four round-trip tickets to Cairo, Egypt: About P470,000
Canon EOS 1DX Mark II: P299,998

La-Z-Boy and a whole-day movie marathon
The dad: Allan, engineer
The best bud: Drew, writer
“Allan has five kids--all under the age of 12. So if I’m honest, I’d say what he really wants is some peace and quiet,” says Drew. “Since that can’t be bought, I know he’s been wanting to buy a La-Z-Boy. But his wife thinks it’s too ugly to fit in with their furniture. If Allan had his way, he’d get that recliner and sit in it the whole day while doing a movie marathon.”

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Cheese platter and a watch
The dad: Chito, advertising executive
The best bud: Lea, homemaker and writer
“Chito would appreciate a cheese platter,” says Lea, who also happens to be Chito’s wife of 15 years. “For Father’s Day, that’s what I know he will appreciate because it can seem like it came from the kids. But if he were to buy something for himself, he’ll want the pricier items on his wish list, such as watches.”
Cheese board set by Decodyne on Amazon: P1,235
Panerai men’s Swiss automatic watch on Amazon: P435,101

iPhone 7 Plus
The dad: Brix, graphic designer
The best bud: Topper, editor
“The phone that Brix uses now is an iPhone 6. May crack ‘yung screen, and he says at least once a day, titigil gumana ‘yung screen at magtatawag ng random numbers on his contact list,” says Topper. “He needs a new phone but he doesn’t want to buy one yet because he just finished paying his kids’ tuition. He’s waiting for his bonus this December to buy himself the latest iPhone.”

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Socks
The dad: Stephen, account executive
The best bud: Bas, trainer at a call center
“Oo, totoo, medyas ang gusto ni Stephen,” says Bas. “Not dress socks, but those colorful socks that have cartoon characters. He likes those because it makes his daughter laugh when he wears them. ‘Yun naman ang pinaka-kaligayahan ni Stephen, ‘yung patawanin ang anak niya. So I’m sure that when he asks for socks, he means it.”
A pair of colorful socks at Japan Home Center: P88

Sandals, a watch, and a polo shirt
The dad: Albi, insurance agent
The best bud: Hans, shift supervisor for production
“Ang magugustuhan talaga ni pareng Albi ay sandals. Maybe a pair of Crocs sandals. He’s not really particular with the brand, as long as it’s comfortable. Also, a watch. The last watch that he bought, parang hindi ko gusto ‘yung kulay, and it was too small for his arm. I know he’d also like a light-colored polo shirt. The ones in Uniqlo are soft.”

Breitling Black Dial Navitimer World Watch: P217,489

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A shopping trip in Ginza district, Tokyo
The dad: Dex, IT executive
The best bud: Kat, bag designer
“If it were up to him, without considering the cost, I think Dex would like to go on a shopping spree in Japan. Probably in Ginza,” says Kat, Dex’s best friend and wife of 10 years. “He’ll want to shop for all the shoes, watches, and clothes he can get.”
One round-trip ticket direct to Tokyo: P26,570
Shopping money: About P200,000

Car floor mats
The dad: Patrick, entrepreneur
The best bud: Nigo, café owner
“Patrick is the kind of guy who never buys anything for himself. Sobrang kuripot,” says Nigo. “He hasn’t bought a new pair of shoes since we graduated from college, and that was eight years ago. The car mats he uses have holes where his heel digs in when he drives. But his wife says whenever Patrick is close to buying a set of mats, he changes his mind at the last minute because he thinks they’re too expensive for something that he’ll just step on.”
A set of car floor mats from Handyman: P1,800

A haircut—and some pampering—at Felipe and Sons barberdashery
The dad: Brian, high school science teacher
The best bud: Dexter, high school PE teacher
“For about four times already, Brian has mentioned wanting to get a haircut at [Felipe and Sons]. But he never goes in because the façade intimidates him,” says Dexter. “I know he just gets his regular haircut at Ado’s, their neighborhood barbero. Tinanong nga niya ko minsan kung sa tingin ko mas maganda ang gupit dyan sa fancy na barbero.”

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