When veteran TV host-comedian Joey de Leon apologized for his insensitive on-air comment on depression—"Wala, gawa-gawa lang yan"—he credited his wife Eileen Macapagal and their kids Jocas, Jako, and Jio, for helping him understand the seriousness of his mistake.
The three siblings all posted on their respective social media accounts messages of support for their dad.
They did not condone the mistake of their dad, but the de Leon kids appealed for kindness and understanding in place of careless or even vicious online attacks.
In her Instagram post, Jocas, the eldest daughter, acknowledged that even family members may have different opinions.
“The important thing, however, is to respect one another and to try to cultivate a positive understanding of one another which would hopefully lead to a productive discussion of the issues at hand,” she wrote.
The civilized and educated appeal made by Joey's kids, and how they rallied behind their father without undermining the issue at hand, has piqued the public's curiosity about them.
Shining the spotlight on the de Leon siblings, PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) discovers their interests in television, cinema, video production, fashion, and travel.
For starters, Joey, who is also a writer and poet, and Eileen, who used to appear on TV, gave their kids names with 13 letters, aside from having their first names start with the letter J, just like their father's.
UNICA HIJA. Jocas Eightria is Joey and Eileen's unica hija. A triple degree holder, she finished her bachelor's and masters degrees in Economics at Fordham University in New York City.
A style connoisseur at heart, she also took a summer course at the Fashion Institute of Technology located in the fashionable and pricey Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, NYC.
She put her fashion know how to good use when she worked as a merchandise manager for SM Department Store's ladies wear division.
Jocas also landed a co-hosting gig for the now-defunct magazine show Fashionistas by Heart in QTV (now GMA News TV).
In November 2013, she received her MA in Luxury Brand Management from Regent's University London in the United Kingdom.
Citing Audrey Hepburn as her ultimate style icon, Jocas favors romantic, feminine, and sophisticated pieces for her wardrobe.
This, coupled with her stunning backdrops of different travel destinations around the world, makes her Instagram feed look like it belongs to a seasoned fashion and travel blogger.