LOOK! Baby Isabella Baptized on Dad Robin Padilla's Birthday

ABS-CBN actor Robin Padilla and wife Mariel Rodriguez have welcomed their baby girl to the Catholic world.

Robin and Mariel's daughter, Maria Isabella, received the sacrament of baptism at the National Shrine of St. Michael and the Archangels in Malacañang early today, November 23, around 11 a.m.

Mariel's sister Kaye Termulo-Garcia uploaded a photo of Baby Isabella's baptism on Instagram.

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The ceremony was attended by the couple's closest family and friends including Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Allan Peter Cayetano, ABS-CBN executive Cory Vidanes, Magandang Buhay host Karla Estrada, and actress Nadia Montenegro.

IMAGE PEP

Baby Isabella turned 1 year old last November 14. Robin and Mariel gave their daughter a grand Spanish-themed birthday party, at The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion in Taguig City. (Read more on the party and the emotional moment Robin met his apo, Kylie's son, here.)

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In another article, Pep.ph reported that the intimate event elicited questions from the netizens because of the parents' religion — Robin is a Muslim while Mariel is a Catholic. Some of them asked, "Hindi ba bawal sa Islam?"

Mariel took to Instagram to say she and Robin will let Baby Isabella choose her religion when she grows up. 

She wrote, "Please remember that I am a Catholic. Robin is a Muslim and yesterday Isabella also had her Aqiqah. In Islam, there is no compulsion. When Isabella is older she can decide what her religion will be. As parents it is our duty to teach our children how to respect ALL religions. It is also our responsibility to guide them but never to dictate to them. I know for sure that I will see to it that Isabella grows up knowing and believing that there is only one GOD!" (Aqiqah is an Islamic tradition of the sacrifice of an animal on the occasion of a child's birth.)

Aside from Baby Isabella's baptism, the Padillas also celebrated celebrating Robin's 47th birthday today. 

Here's how Mariel greeted her husband: "Happiest birthday my babe. i love you for everything that you are. Thank you for loving Isabella and I. We feel your love. God willing all our dreams will come true."

This story originally appeared on Pep.ph.

* Minor edits have been made by the Smartparenting.com.ph editors.

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