Ric Dublado is a 42-year-old proud gay father to his 18-year-old son, Ryle.
Almost every man dreams of becoming a father, to raise a child, build a home, and pass on something of himself to the next generation.
But what happens when that dream doesn’t quite fit society’s mold?
This is the story of Ric Dublado, 42, a proud gay father to his 18-year-old son, Ryle.
A story that speaks of deep sacrifice, strength, and unwavering love, one that defies expectations and quietly rewrites what it means to be a father.
Ric’s path hasn’t been easy.
It has been shaped by hard work, long hours, and the pressure to prove himself, not just as a provider, but as a man whose worth and dignity are often questioned because of who he is.
The chapter began in Manila, where he worked as a bagger at SM Homeworld. It was a modest start, but it laid the foundation for something greater.
Soon after, he flew to Qatar, chasing the promise of better pay. For three years, he labored abroad, saving what he could and dreaming of more.
When he returned home, Ric set his sights on the hospitality industry. Over the next 15 years, he moved from one hotel to another, slowly rising through the ranks.
With every step, he carried both the ambition of a hardworking Filipino and the silent burden of being a gay man in a world that often demanded he tone himself down.
“My friends know that I’m gay. My family, of course, knows that I’m gay. But outside, there were times I had to act like a man—or I had to act strong—just to avoid being bullied,” Ric said.
Though he didn’t experience outright discrimination in his early years, there was always a subtle pressure. It was the sense that he had to dim his light to be accepted. It wasn’t fear that made him act differently, but survival. Protection. A way to move forward without drawing too much attention.
Still, he felt the sting of judgment. But instead of breaking him, it fueled a quiet resolve.
“I have to be better,” he said.
To Ric, respect had to be earned, not just demanded. It came through hard-won achievement. He believed that if he could build something solid, if he could succeed, the world would have no choice but to see past the labels.
“I need an achievement… I need to have something in life in order to get respect from your surroundings,” he said.
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But more than anything, Ric’s drive wasn’t rooted in proving people wrong. It was grounded in something much deeper — his love for his son.
“Discrimination.” It’s a word that hangs heavily over many LGBTQ individuals. Even those who have found self-acceptance still learn to shield themselves, to shrink a little in the face of society’s scrutiny.
But Ric didn’t shrink. He stepped up.
He worked longer hours. He took on more responsibility. He poured every ounce of energy into providing for his son, because for him, fatherhood was never just a role. It was his reason for being.
“I have to do better for life, because I have a son with me,” Rick said.
“Everything that I will do, it’s for the future of my son.”
In a world that often questions LGBTQ parenthood, Rick built a home anchored on love, discipline, and sacrifice, the same way any great father would. He became the “haligi ng tahanan,” the pillar of the home, not in spite of his identity, but in full embrace of it.
As for Ryle, he’s never questioned the love he received.
In his younger years, especially in elementary school, he was quiet about having a gay father, not out of shame, but uncertainty. Like many children, he was still making sense of the world and how people might react.
But by the time he reached high school, that uncertainty gave way to pride.
He embraced the truth with maturity and understanding, recognizing that the man who raised him was, in every sense of the word, a father.
In the end, Ric and Ryle’s story is not just about being different. It’s about being brave. It’s about rising above expectations and building a life rooted in love, not labels. It’s a reminder that fatherhood isn’t defined by gender or conformity, but by presence, perseverance, and heart.
And in that sense, Ric is no different from any other great father, except perhaps that he had to work a little harder to be seen. /csl