RAISING a family is no small feat.
As any father can attest, it’s not simply enough to ensure there’s food on the table. Working hard to ensure support for one’s family is definitely part of the job, but it’s not the only part. The pressures of fatherhood are well known, but ways to address those pressures are often not.
For two influential Cebuano fathers, the key is to differentiate between time working to provide for one’s family, and actual family time.
“We tend to forget the family when we’re so busy with work,” said Regan Rex King, a father of two.
It’s a situation that Ronald Elpa, himself a busy father, can also attest to which is why he, like King, makes sure to always set aside time for the family.
“We really have to balance time; we should prioritize the children,” said Elpa, who tries to spend at least one day a week with his family. “Every weekend, there should always be a special day for the kids.”
“The way I do it with my kids is through our hobbies,” King said. “I’m a big kid. I love toys for the big boys — cars, motorcycles, jet skis. Since I have two teenagers already, it was the right time to introduce them to the hobbies I’m into.”
King, who is the chief operating officer of 6R Group of Companies, knows a thing or two about motorsports.
He admits that his favorite “toy” is his Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG. Driving it is his de-stresser, and doing so with his family in tow is his way to bond with his kids.
“I go on road trips, up in the mountains of the Transcentral Highway or to the beach all the way north or south. We do long rides so I get to spend time with my kids along the way.”
Elpa has gone even farther with his distinct white Ram 1500.
“We go on rides with the children, usually far north or down south. I’ve driven it around Bohol. It’s great and very spacious. It’s even better when you’re the one sitting in front,” said Elpa of his 1500 Laramie.
As the president of Red Viper Ventures — a company involved in industries that literally reshape the earth — Elpa has great appreciation for powerful machines. That includes his favorite Ram 1500, which he uses for both work and family activities.
“All members of the family can fit into it, and it can really bring you to places. Number one is the safety concern, and the convenience,” said Elpa, referring to his Ram 1500.
“For out of town trips, it’s convenient and comfortable. For the construction industry it’s needed. It’s comfortable and big. Compared to other pickups, it’s more durable. Endurance is important because in the construction industry, you really have to travel long distances,” Elpa said. “Its four-wheel drive is quite strong too.”
King, on the other hand, likes his machines powerful, but more subtle. He admits that the appeal of his Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG is in its sleeper nature.
“It doesn’t attract much attention. It’s small and compact, but when you want power on it, it’s powerful,” King expressed.
“It’s like my personality,” joked the unassuming-looking father who runs one of Cebu’s largest transport companies.
King admits that the A45 AMG became his dream car when he first laid eyes on it during the 2015 opening festivities of Global Star Motors, the authorized dealer of Mercedes-Benz and Ram in Cebu, which will be celebrating its sixth anniversary this year.
“I did my research on the A45. Of all the super hatches at that time, the A45 surpassed all the reviews. I told myself, ‘This is really it; this is the car.’ When it’s for you, it’s for you — it will just come.”
King asserts though that while having a powerful car with which to bond with his kids is a great feeling, ultimately, it’s the time he spends with them that matters.
“But if the experience is much nicer, especially for the one who’s driving, then it’s more memorable,” he admits.
And like all Mercedes-Benz cars, King knows his A45 AMG is a family heirloom, so he’s introducing motorsports to his children to get them to appreciate what will eventually be theirs.
“I’m just keeping it for the next generation,” he says.
Mercedes-Benz and Ram vehicles, as well as Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler, are available at Global Star Motors on Cebu Veterans Drive, Nivel Hills, Cebu City. (PR)