For Dolphy, the country's most beloved comedian, life can't be better. He'll be 74 in July (he's turning 79 this July 2007)... and he's done it all. Now he can dine on his favorite repast of keso, French fries, and Kobe beef. He can fly to anywhere in the world. Or he can simply be inside his home by the bay with his family: Zsa Zsa Padilla, 38 (now 43), and daughters Nicole, 11 (now 16), and Zia, 10 (now 15).
"Semi-retired na tayo e," Dolphy says. "Easy-easy na lang tayo... Medyo bigyan pa ako ng konti pang buhay para pangalagaan ko ang dapat pangalagaan sa mga supling ko lalo na 'yung mga maliliit pa. Siguro 'yung mga konting taon na nalalabi sa akin iuukol ko na lang sa kanila. Basta ang gusto ko na lang health ko and health sa mga anak ko..."
Dolphy, who has sired 18 children, particularly dotes on his two daughters Nicole and Zia, both of whom, says Zsa Zsa, have picked up special qualities from their father. Nicole, who wants to be a lawyer, has Dolphy's "lambing and thoughtfulness." Zia, who wants to be superstar, has Dolphy's "creativity and artistry."
It is Zsa Zsa who plays the disciplinarian. "Somebody has to be," she says, "otherwise they would be just spoiled talaga through and through. I mean, of course, we spoil them. I like to do that, but Dolphy is the biggest spoiler, talagang aiming to please, that type. He loves to please people, that's why he loves, number one, to feed. ‘Ano'ng gusto mo? Kumain ka na ba? Uuwian kita.' Lahat 'yan palagi—as in every single day."
What's more, she says: "If you are on a diet, he would bring you salad. He will go out of his way to get what you want. He loves to do that. Now I'm resting... so bakasyon. Gustong-gusto niyang sasabihin ko sa kanya in my vacation, ‘Dalhan mo ako ng lahat ng champoy sa Aji Ichiban.' Diyos ko, alam mo ang dumating? Four bags! I am not joking. I just kept ‘binge-ing' on each bag. Talagang I'm so happy. I'm so bloated, I gained 10 pounds from all these salt, you know."
And Dolphy? What makes him happy?
"It's being with the kids," Zsa Zsa says, without hesitation. "He is such a good father, especially to my children. 'Yung age niya, siyempre ngayon talagang gusto niya pamilya na lang. Hindi na siya masyadong away from his family because of work kasi he's very pleased now with the way he works, e. He stays most of the time in the house."
Zsa Zsa says, "Noong bago pa lang kami, ‘Parang padalang nang padalang ang alis niya,' sabi ko. Ako mismo, hindi na ako makaalis. Parang I miss the time being out with friends and exploring, you know, new friendships. Parang 'yung growth ko din as a person stunted na. Sabi ko, ‘Ba't gan'un?' Tapos iniisip ko, kesa naman problemahin mo 'yung asawa mo kung nasaan at three in the morning, you know what I mean? Sakit sa ulo. Sabi ko, ‘I think I'm lucky in the sense that my husband's home at 11!'"
Today, she sees Dolphy leave the house only when he goes off to work or when he wants to eat out.
"He loves good food," she says. "He loves to eat."
In days like that, Dolphy and family will likely end up in the mall.
She intimates: "Alam mo, happiness namin, manood ng sine. We're so ordinary! We're so common! People think, ‘Ay artista sila. Siguro je-jet set sila para mag-lunch sa Hong Kong,' parang gan'un. Hindi totoo 'yon!"
Why Dolphy spends all his time with his family and barely any with his friends is also because, sadly, many of those closest to him, his barkada in showbiz, are gone.
"Ang dami nang namayapa," Dolphy himself says. "Nida (Blanca), Panchito, Babalu, Ading (Fernando). Lahat ng close sa akin sa showbiz nawala na lahat e."
Is he thinking he might go their way, too?
"Oo nga," he says, smiling. "Madalas, nagdarasal ako."
Indeed, Zsa Zsa confirms, he prays to all the saints around the house and to a crucified Christ in their lanai. Moreover, unlike her, she says, he never misses Sunday mass and drives to Baclaran for his novena. During Holy Week, he organizes a padasal in his home and, when his time allows, does the traditional visita iglesia which is the visit to 14 churches to correspond with the 14 stations of the cross.
She reveals that he has upped his praying time from one hour to two hours a day. To which he throws this rejoinder: "Sa dami ng pinagdarasal ko."
Zsa Zsa jokes, "Sabi ko nga sa kanya, masyado ka ng close kay Lord, ha. [Zsa Zsa puts her pointer and middle fingers together to make a V-sign.] Ganyan na lang kayo. Please, baka kunin ka na ni Lord!"