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John Lloyd’s Father’s Day Post Shows Every Dad’s Unyielding Love
“Happy father’s day sa lahat ng mga amang hindi sumusuko sa pamilya.”
by Em Cruz
Published on Jun 19, 2025
Dads never fail to tug our hearts when they freely express their love for their kids.
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John Lloyd Cruz’s Instagram post for Father’s Day was more than just a greeting—it’s a peek into parents' vulnerability, hope, and dedication in a co-parenting setup. In the caption accompanying black and white photos of him and Elias making funny faces, he wrote [in verbatim]:
“happy father’s day sa atin anak. salamat dumating ka at pinatunayang pwede maging buo bagamat hindi magkasama. araw-araw,pinaglalaban ‘ko. araw-araw kaya ko mamatay para sa’yo. salamat anak. wala na ‘kong mahihiling pa bilang ama. enjoy ka today. hfd to us 🥳❤️🦥✨ happy father’s day sa lahat ng mga amang hindi sumusuko sa pamilya. inspirasyon kayo sa aming mag-ama. ✨🙌🏼🙏🏼”
John Lloyd on parenting
The actor co-parents his 6-year-old son, Elias Modesto, with Ellen Adarna. The actress first revealed their setup in 2020 when she replied to an Instagram question about it; she wrote at the time: "He stays with me. He sleeps over his dad's place twice weekly because we co-parent.”
Since then, John Lloyd has opened up about fatherhood's unpredictable and life-changing nature. In a podcast with Karen Davila in 2021, he said, “Paano mong naplano 'yung ganung bagay?’ Kasi it’s beyond words. Describing being a father especially nung lumabas siya, there’s no way na merong tao na naplano 'yung ganung ka-weird and ka-radical na bagay. That’s a life. Buhay 'yung lumabas because of your responsibility.”
John Lloyd was also vocal about his cherished moments with Elias, particularly during their time in Cebu during the pandemic. “Kaya ako nag-stay dun para makita ko yung anak ko, kahit pandemic,” he told Philstar.com exclusively. “At that time, it was formative for myself, not just for him. Because those formative years, one to two (years old), we were still there. Iba yung memories nung panahon na yun.”
That period taught him to relax into his role—to trust his instincts, celebrate small moments, and follow Elias’ lead. “With Elias, I feel like I’m the one learning from him. I’m the one gaining so much. I’m the one taking notes. He’s amazing! Ang galing nung bata. Very humbling. It’s like I’m the child and he’s the parent,” he said. “Getting to know yourself again and again. That’s number one. It’s constantly reminding yourself to just relax… like, you learn not to overthink too much. (It’s about giving yourself) chances.” Fatherhood, he said, is a “very personal thing.”
Moreover, John Lloyd also talked about his co-parenting dynamic with Ellen. “There’s nothing to complain about. Maganda ang setup namin, maganda dynamics namin, we don’t have any problems. I’ve heard stories na wow ang hirap ha. I really appreciate Ellen sa setup talaga na tinayo niya. Kasi dalawa kayo, magkaiba yung ways niyo,” he said.
While he acknowledged that every situation is unique, saying, “Everyone has their own story— this is ours, and I’m sure others will have their own as well,” he also highlighted the importance of flexibility in co-parenting, saying that love and care are not limited to one’s parents. “With co-parenting, it’s not just limited to the real parents. Sino ba yung tumatayong parent sa anak mo na makakausap mo or makakabatuhan mo? And that’s okay if ’yun ang diskarte mo,” he said.
This Father’s Day, John Lloyd Cruz reminds us that while families take many shapes, the core is simple: unwavering love, daily commitment, and the strength to say, “Kaya ko mamatay para sa’yo,” every single day.
Read the stories of couples who made co-parenting work.
Ellen Adarna Shares How She And John Lloyd Cruz Co-Parent Son Elias
Read hereEm is a section editor at Smart Parenting (smartparenting.com.ph). A mother of two school-aged children and happily married for 15 years, she draws on her background in Public Relations and Digital Marketing to create meaningful content.
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