Happy Father’s Day to all the great daddies out there, especially to first-time dads!

Father’s Day looks different this year (thanks again 2020, it’s been a real pleasure), but it just means we need to find creative and innovative ways to celebrate this wonderful occasion honoring the man of the house.

I’ve lost count of the number of days into the pandemic, but I just look forward to the small celebrations in life that are now centered on the family. Granted, big weddings and Friday nights out are canceled, we can still celebrate with the appropriate social distancing and safety measures.

Dad’s favorite restaurant, basketball game or club can wait a bit longer since this is the year of the DIY Father’s Day. Some suggestions for dad could be a barbecue in the garden, a socially distanced walk. or beers via Zoom.

For gifts, if there is one store to find the perfect dad gifts, it’s Wilcon Depot with its wide selection of products. Wilcon Depot offers electronic gift cards nationwide to let your dad pick out the gift he particularly likes.

For the foodie dad, on top of the list is the good old barbecue. For the dad who loves to cook for the family, giving him a new set of cooking equipment will surely put a smile on his face. Allow him to show off his grilling skills and make every meal delightful and tasty. For the most satisfying grilling sessions, Sun Crust offers different types of outdoor products with cutting-edge grills made with the finest materials.

Work-from-home setup

Since the start of quarantine, most companies have chosen a work-from-home setup to ensure the health and safety of employees. Though your dad may not be used to working from home, you can get him the gift of comfort.Ergonomically designed office chairs from Heim provide the right amount of comfort while sitting down. Designs come with a headrest and slanted back support for a perfect fit when leaning back.

Another option are table lamps from Alphalux. Having an illuminated workspace can improve productivity and focus, and can also help keep your dad awake and active throughout the day.

For the handiest dad who enjoys doing repairs at home, complete his set of hardware tools. When you’ve noticed his wornout gloves, old measuring tapes and fliers, it’s time to give him new ones. For his all-around DIY projects, you can choose various hardware tools from Truper and Rubi.

For the mechanic dad, take car maintenance to the next level. Consider getting him high-quality automotive tools and essentials like trunk organizers, a cable booster and safety glasses from Armor and Homebasix. These can be among the most impressive gifts for your at-home mechanic.

Wilcon Depot also introduces a hassle-free shopping alternative with its Browse, Call and Collect/Deliver feature. This new shopping option allows you to shop for your home improvement and building needs by browsing the Wilcon website or online shop to find the products you want to purchase.

You can call/text/Viber to place your orders, and collect your purchases in-store or have them delivered to your doorstep.

Wilcon likewise provides contactless payment options and different online payment channels like bank transfers, GCash, PayMaya, Instapay, PesoNet, WeChat and Alipay for customers’ convenience (www.wilcon.com.ph; follow @wilcondepot.ph Facebook and Instagram; follow Wilcon Depot PH Viber community, LinkedIn and YouTube).

For the foodie dad

For the foodie dad, check out the new Sinfully @ Home sumptuous packages from Makati Shangri-La hotel. As the latest dining venture, @sinfullyathome is the food delivery service of Makati Shang for Father’s Day and other occasions. Choose from their Filipino, International and Chinese set menus, all with the option to add wine or cake.

Gift with CSR component

How about a gift for dad that includes a corporate social responsibility (CSR) component? Jewelmer is offering a special selection for Father’s Day at a special price.

This selection includes the Philippine Map Pamana brooch, Azur bracelet and Les Classiques cufflinks. Until July 31, a portion of the proceeds from any Jewelmer purchase above $1,000 made in the Philippines will be donated to the Philippine General Hospital Medical Foundation and the Save the Palawan Seas Foundation.

Jewelmer’s Jacques Branellec talked about his excitement being a first-time dad when we visited the pearl farm of Jewelmer. The weekend I was there at Flower Island Resort in Palawan, my son Bryan Prieto also became a first-time dad. Our first grandchild, Louie Malachi Crespo Prieto, was born a few days early. Luckily, he was born before the virus broke out in the country.

For the adventurous dads, check out the different models of MG cars. Several dads had a chance to test-drive the spacious and powerful car when our forever sponsor and friend, Albert Arcilla, president and CEO of The Covenant Car Company, exclusive distributor of Chevrolet and MG cars in the Philippines, generously lent us a fleet of MGs!

Our fave photographer/golfer dad Marty Ilagan took the MG RX5 all the way up to Alphaland Baguio Mountain Lodges for the #Leap4DOV celebration. The other models that the other dads drove to Baguio were the MG ZS, MG 5 and MG 6.

While we’re dealing with the restrictions of social distancing, the good news is there are plenty of outdoor activities you can still do to take advantage of this glorious weather. You can try a mini game of rounders in the park, a little local treasure hunt, a long distance tennis match, heck or even dust off the pile of maps in the corner of the kitchen, and plan a Father’s Day hike for him!

Let me end with a Happy Father’s Day shout out to one of the luckiest dads out there, Bobby Ongpin of Alphaland, who has just been able to reopen Balesin Island Club and the Aegle Wellness Center on the island. My hubby Dennis and I are there this weekend to check it all out.