Former child star and ex-Hashtag member Bugoy Cariño candidly admitted that he initially felt regret after becoming a father at a young age, but later realized that the experience transformed his life for the better.
In an interview with ABS-CBN, Cariño shared that while he once felt he had missed out on career opportunities, the birth of his daughter ultimately reframed his priorities.
“Well, aaminin ko po, nu’ng una talaga nanghinayang po talaga ako. Habang tumatagal, nare-realize ko na kumbaga parang gift siya ni God. So blessing siya,” he said.
He added that his outlook shifted as more opportunities came his way.
“Kumbaga nu’ng time na ‘yon, mas maraming blessing na pumasok sa akin. Inalis ko na sa isip ‘yong mga regrets ko at pagsisisi.”
Cariño became a father at 16 to daughter Scarlet, now seven years old, with volleyball player EJ Laure, who was 21 at the time. The couple married in March 2025, months after publicly sharing their prenuptial photos.
Speaking further about fatherhood, Cariño said having a family taught him to put others before himself.
“Natuto akong unahin family ko kesa sa sarili ko, kumbaga yung pangarap ko para sa kanila,” he said.
“Walang ibibigay si God na pagsubok, blessing, o gift na hindi natin kaya. Para sa atin talaga.”
In a separate interview during the red carpet premiere of his film Breaking the Silence, Cariño reiterated that becoming a father helped him mature.
“Aaminin ko, noong una talaga nanghinayang ako… May pagsisisi ng una, pero ng dumating baby ko—mas naging kampante utak ko na mas mag focus ako sa family ko,” he said. “Habang tumagal na-realize ko gift siya ni God. Blessing siya.”
Despite stepping back from mainstream projects, Cariño acknowledged that he and Laure continue to face online criticism. He said his focus has been on supporting his wife, who was not used to public scrutiny.
“Given na yung basher. Ang pinaka-finocus ko yung wife ko. Hindi sanay sa mga sinasabi ng tao. Volleyball world siya eh. Ako sanay na,” he explained. “Parang nasanay ako kasi showbiz—ginuide ko wife ko para malagpasan mga sinabi ng mga tao.”
He added that he often reminds Laure not to dwell on negative comments.
“Ang lagi ko paalala sa kanya, wag mo papansinin. Pinapaalala ko pag may basher mas nakikilala ka, mas tumatatak sila sayo.”
Today, Cariño remains active online, with digital selling serving as his main source of income.
“Super thankful ako kahit wala ako sa TV visible pa ako sa social media. Masaya po,” he said.
“Hindi ko inexpect na mag-online selling ako. Masaya pala. Nakakatuwa. Lalo na kung may suki ka na.”
Still, the actor hopes to take on more acting projects following his screen comeback.
“Gusto ko na rin umarte. Gusto ko makita ulit ng tao acting ko. Na-miss ko magbasa ng script. Getting in character, isipin pano i-handle, at gagawin ng maganda,” he said.
