The King of Comedy may be gone, but his love continues to provide.

It’s been more than a decade since the Philippines mourned the loss of Dolphy, the legendary comedian who made generations laugh until their stomachs hurt. But behind every punchline, every on-screen antic, and every standing ovation, there was a father. A man who had twenty children, and who, even in death, refused to stop taking care of them.

And today, one of those children — Epi Quizon — breaks the silence.

“I’m still receiving allowance from my father,” Epi revealed in a heartfelt interview that quickly took the internet by storm. It wasn’t just a sentimental statement. It was a window into a father’s quiet love, meticulously planned even in his absence.

Epi, an actor and artist in his own right, shared that his late father Dolphy had created a system of royalties and income shares for his children — a structure embedded in the foundations of his life’s work. Long before his final curtain call, Dolphy was already setting the stage for something far more profound than fame: the security of his children’s future.

“He made sure we were all part of it,” Epi said softly, recalling the businesses Dolphy built. There was Banayad Whiskey — a name that drew laughter but was rooted in real-world value. There was Pidol’s Bakeshop — a tribute to his famous character — and real estate investments in Calatagan. Each of them, according to Epi, still generates income. Each of them still sends a message: I haven’t forgotten you.

The reaction online was overwhelming. Netizens, especially those who grew up watching Dolphy, flooded social media with comments like: “A true father,” “His love goes beyond life,” and “Dolphy didn’t just make us laugh, he taught us what responsibility looks like.”

But there’s more.

Behind Epi’s admission lies a story of a man who was often misunderstood. Dolphy had many children with different women — a fact that tabloids and critics never let go of. Yet few saw the quiet consistency of his love. He didn’t just father children — he fathered legacies.

“He would call each of us regularly. He knew our birthdays by heart. And even if he couldn’t be at every school event or birthday party, he made us feel seen,” Epi said, his eyes misting as he spoke.

What broke netizens’ hearts even more was when Epi admitted: “I miss him every single day. Sometimes I still expect to hear his laugh in the kitchen. That silly laugh, the one that could fill a room.”

The allowance Epi refers to isn’t just money — it’s memory. It’s the daily reminder that his father planned beyond the present. That every laugh Dolphy shared with the world came from a man who knew what truly mattered.

Dolphy’s estate, managed responsibly since his passing in 2012, has become a living monument. It’s a system of passive income that doesn’t just support his children — it inspires them. It urges them to dream, to create, and to remember.

In a world where celebrity scandals are the norm, the story of Epi and Dolphy feels like a rare kind of quiet dignity. The kind that doesn’t scream from tabloids but lingers in hearts.

Epi admits that not all his siblings receive the same amount. Some chose different paths, some opted out. But the door, he says, was always open. “My father didn’t force us to be part of his empire. He just built it, and invited us in.”

The irony, of course, is that Dolphy — a man who played lovable poor characters on-screen — left behind a real-life wealth that goes beyond numbers. His legacy isn’t just financial. It’s emotional. It’s in the way his children speak about him. It’s in the tremble of Epi’s voice when he says, “He never stopped being a father.”

One moment from the interview that sent waves across the internet was when Epi whispered, “I still sometimes talk to him. Especially when I feel lost. And weirdly enough, it’s like he answers. Not in words, but in feelings. In signs. In the silence.”

There’s something profoundly moving about a child still receiving from a father who’s no longer physically here. It forces us to ask: What is love if not the ability to leave something behind? What is fatherhood if not continuity?

While others argue about inheritance, Epi talks about gratitude. “Every peso reminds me of his laughter. Of his struggle. Of his courage.”

It’s easy to be cynical in today’s world, to assume that stories like these are PR-crafted or media-staged. But Epi’s raw emotion pierces through that noise. There’s no script in the way he pauses. No pretense in the way he wipes his eyes.

And for a brief moment, those watching are not just spectators. They are children, remembering their fathers. They are fathers, thinking about their children.

As Epi finished the interview, he looked straight into the camera and said, “Salamat, Pa. Hindi ka talaga nawala. You’re still here. In every smile. In every check. In every laugh.”

Dolphy may have exited the stage, but his performance as a father — the kind who thinks beyond applause, beyond fame — continues. Through Epi. Through his legacy. Through love that, remarkably, still pays forward.