For quite sometime, Robin was away from the limelight. The reason is right beside him. Binoe, as he is called by friends, stayed with her wife Liezel Sicangco and their kids in Australia.
That's Diboy Trofeo with Private Ali Padilla in the garden. Since Ali is the youngest and the only boy, we wonder if he's spoiled by his parents.
"I don't think so," Diboy says. "Sila kasi, they let their kids be. The kids can do what they want to do, pero alam mo ýon, disiplinado pa rin. Like sa case ni Ali, malikot talaga siya. Pero pag sinabi ni Robin na, 'Behave!'—behave na talaga."
Diboy speaks in superlatives when describing the Padillas, Robin especially: "Si Robin is the nicest guy I've ever met, and he does by example. Like ako, I'm usually very impatient. Pero noong nakasama ko sila, lalo na si Robin, I became more patient, more understanding of other people."
"Nag-baby sit kami ni Robin diyan," says Diboy of this father-and-son shot. "The rest of the kids naglakwatsa sa ibang rides. E, di ba, may mga rides na hindi pa allowed ang gaya ni Ali. So, sinamahan namin siya sa mga pambatang rides."
The British military uniform that Robin wore for this shot was a borrowed outfit. "Sa bahay 'yan ng isang friend nila doon. Robin's weapon, kunwari, is a camera."
Ali, here in a fatigue uniform like his father's, has a lot of military outfits, according to Diboy. "Araw-araw, iba-iba ang suot. 'Pag suot niya 'yan, he likes to be called Private Ali Padilla. Minsan naman, ang mood niya is superhero siya. May mga costumes din siya noon."
With Robin (middle, in shades) are (from left to right) his cousin July, a backpacker whom they met only that day, Robin's other cousin Junior, and Diboy.
This photo was taken in the morning. "Kakagising lang nila. E, nakita ko 'yang spot na 'yan sa may hagdan. Pumapasok ang araw doon. Sabi ko, ang ganda nito. I got my camera and pina-pose ko sila sa spot na 'yan. Maginaw, kasi winter that time doon, e, kaya lagi kaming naka-ganyang porma."
Robin is understandably pround of his beautiful family. That's Zhen-Zhen standing at left, and that's his lovely wife Liezel, arm in arm with him. Seated are (from left to right) Queenie, his eldest; Ali, his youngest; Camille, his daughter with former actress Leah Orosa; and Kylie, his second to the eldest.
