IT IS Father's Day tomorrow, prompting Diether Ocampo to recall that he was only six years old when his dad Reynaldo Pascual passed away due to cancer.

''My father plays with a band and he was a good singer. He would take me along to the club he worked in somewhere in Roxas blvd. While performing, he would entrust me to the care of a waitress.

''Before going home, we would drop by Baclaran church, which was very near the club. It was almost sunrise and we would take breakfast near the seashore.

''I will always remember my dad as someone who brought joy to people because of his singing skill,'' the actor remembers.

If his dad were alive today, he would feel proud of Diether's rise to fame. And he would have appreciated having a grateful son.

One of the things he learned from his father is to value money, specially when it is hard-earned. ''I saw how he budgeted his earnings. I recall the happy smile on his face everytime a customer gave them a generous tip. As I grow up, I promised never to spent on things I don't need,'' he says.

Diether is a frugal person. He says that since he is given free clothes when endorsing a line of clothes, he might as well wear them instead of buying other brands. Ditto with shoes or food products. It is very seldom you will see Diether wearing a signature brand unless it was given to him as a gift.

But he would not mind spending on food because he takes it home to his mom, who loves to cook.

Turning 24 on July 19, Diether would rather invest his earnings in real estate or business venture. Two years ago, he opened Cilantro, a cozy restaurant along Morato st. The place is undergoing renovation to provide more space.

As a gift, Diether bought his mom a townhouse in Quezon City so she would not have to commute from Bacoor, Cavite, where the family used to reside. For himself, Diether rents a condo unit somewhere in San Juan, where he prefers to live alone. A housekeeper comes once a week to wash his clothes and bring him food which his mother cooks.

It's sad that Diether's father could not see the success he is reaping as an actor. Star Cinema has transformed Diether into a role model for the youth and a young drama actor as well.

He stars in the soap opera ''Saan Ka Man Naroroon'' with Claudine Barretto which recently hit an all-time high 53 percent audience rating in the surveys. He is also starring in ''Burn,'' a Saturday night sizzler with Vanessa del Bianco and Onemig Bondoc, which has been extended into a six-week drama series after it made list of the top 10 primetime TV programs.

In films, he has become a hot young male lead. He has just wrapped up work on Viva Films' ''Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin,'' where he co-stars with Angelu de Leon.

Diether doesn't claim to be a good singer but the skill he must have inherited from his dad is sometimes put to good use. He guests in ''Amir of Rap,'' the album of good friend Carlos Agassi.