Mark Anthony Fernandez, Eric Fructuoso share lessons they want to pass to kids, grandchild

Mark Anthony Fernandez and Eric Fructuoso were among the members of the highly successful Gwapings trio of the '90s.

Fast forward 30 years and they are now proud dads, who are guiding their teenage kids with the lessons they learned throughout the years.

On Friday’s “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” the Gwapings members talked about how they are as men in their households.

“Ako, ano, medyo steady lang. Hindi maluwag…mas cool. Iniisip ko, cool na tatay,” Mark said.

[I'm a steady dad. Not very lenient, maybe cool. I think I'm a cool dad.]

Mark’s son, Grae, is currently studying filmmaking at New York University, and according to the actor proudly, he may be Grae’s favorite person.

“I feel like I’m his most favorite person in the world because close kami eh,” Mark said.

Meanwhile, Eric said he is doing his best, even though he is not always with his children.

“Well, ‘di ko naman sila nakakasama araw-araw, ‘no? So I just try to do my best,” he said.

[Well, I am not with them every day so I just try to do my best.]

In 2021, Eric officially became a grandfather and on Fast Talk, he admitted it hasn't sunk in yet that he's now a lolo.

“‘Di ko pa tanggap eh, kasi ‘di pa ako tapos sa mga anak ko, maliliit pa sila — ‘yung iba. So ina-appreciate ko pa ‘yung time dahil nga hindi ko sila kasama tapos bigla na lang naging lolo ako. So, hindi ko pa, hindi naman sa hindi tanggap, hindi ko pa naa-absorb kasi ang cute ko eh,” he said.

[I haven't accepted it because I'm not done yet with my kids. They're still small, some of them. So I appreciate spending time with them because now that I'm a grandfather, I don't have much spare time. It's not that I haven't accepted it yet, I just haven't absorbed it yet.]  

Eric wants to spend more time with his grandson, Leo, “kasi syempre, alam mo naman tayo, kumakayod tayo para sa pamilya,"

"I hope one day na ano, habang bata pa siya, maging close ko siya ‘di ba?” he said.

As proud and supportive dads, Mark and Eric continue to impart wisdom to their family.

Mark said that something he learned is that working out, going to the gym, and doing sports are things that should not be set aside.

“Kasi may time na nawala ako sa sports, ‘yung keeping healthy. Dapat continuous lang ‘yon,” he said.

Eric, on the other hand, reminded not to trust easily.

“Siguro ano, ‘wag masyado magtiwala sa tao kasi ang dapat pagkatiwalaan mo lang, sarili mo. Kasi sa buhay, ‘di natin masasabi,” he said.

[Maybe to not trust too easily. You have to first trust yourself because in life, you really can't say.] 

Eric continued, “Tapos at the same time, ‘wag silang matakot mag-fail. Whatever happens, okay lang magkamali. Just fail forward.”

[At the same time, they shouldn't be afraid of failure. Whatever happens, it's OK to make mistakes. Just fail forward.] 

Together with Jomari Yllana, Mark and Eric made waves in the 90s as a phenomenal all-male group.

— Carby Basina/LA, GMA Integrated News