Dennis Padilla reacts to Julia Barretto's attempt to change surname

MANILA, Philippines — Comedian Dennis Padilla opened up to his daughter Julia Barretto on how he was hurt when the actress attempted to change her surname, Baldivia, to Barretto. 

In Julia’s latest video blog on her YouTube channel titled “Questions I’ve Never Asked My Dad,” Dennis admitted that he was frustrated back then because no one talks about it. 

“That was a dagger, it’s not the pangalan. That’s my blood. Barretto na nga lang ang dala mo sa screen name mo tapos tatanggalin mo pa ‘yung Baldivia?” Dennis said. 

“I was frustrated. No one wants to talk about it. Walang gustong makausap sa akin. Hindi ko maintindihan ano ang dahilan kung bakit kailangan ipatanggal? Baldivia ka naman talaga kasi ako ‘yung tatay mo. Makakabawas ba ‘yun sa pagkatao mo? No. Makakabawas ba sa popularity mo? No,” he added.

Julia answered that they were already too pained and too scared of Dennis that time so no one responded to him. 

“You question why you feel like nobody’s responding, not knowing how much pain and hurt you’ve caused us before trying to talk to us. That’s why you couldn’t hear from us. We were already too pained, too scared of you,” she said. 

“I wish you would also recognize and acknowledge the fact that maybe, ‘I have done something to scare my kids off.’ Before, when we would speak over the phone, you wouldn’t always have the best tone and the best choice of words. That scarred me, that traumatized me, that scared me,” Julia added. 

Julia then said that she never gave up in her relationship with her dad. 

“I didn’t ever give up in our relationship. If I had given up, we wouldn’t be talking right now. I kept trying and that was painful for me. I was fighting so hard for our relationship despite all the words thrown at me by my own dad,” she said. 

The actress then said that she saw how Dennis changed a lot after fighting COVID-19. 

“One of the most important things in life and with people you love is being able to forgive each other. I’m so proud of you. I saw the change after your journey with COVID. I appreciate all our conversations now. Everybody is so much more humble, understanding, and forgiving. I saw your change of heart,” she said. 

In the end, Dennis asked Julia to give him another chance. 

“Sana mabigyan ako ng chance na makabawi sayo, hindi lang naman sa iyo ako may atraso, sa marami din. Hindi ko alam kung makakabawi pa ako, pero kung saan ako aabutin,” he said.