Felip looks back on his simple life in Pagadian, reveals his type of girl

Liezel Dela Cruz

Before he became SB19&#x27;st badass lead rapper and main dancer, Felip Suson—better known as Ken—was just a barefoot kid growing up in the mountains of Pagadian, Zamboanga Del Sur. Life moved at its own pace in their quiet community. After school, he would head straight to the farm to tend to the goats and pigs. &quot;Cute kaayo sila (they were so cute),&quot; he gushed, reminiscing about his life in the province in an episode of “Kuan On One,” the Bisaya podcast hosted by Kuantie Melai Cantiveros.Felip, the youngest among his siblings, grew up under the care of his grandparents while his mom and dad worked abroad since he was born. He was, in every sense, a lolo and lola’s boy, so much so that he loved to sleep beside them until he graduated high school. While he and his siblings grew up far from their parents, they understood early on that their parents’ sacrifices were necessary to provide for the family. He had a simple childhood. As a student, he would get by with a five-peso daily allowance, just enough for a piece of banana cue and ice candy during recess. He would walk to school in slippers as school shoes weren’t an option at the time. He didn’t mind, though. He didn’t dwell on what he lacked, because to him, life was still full of warmth and love.Though he has come so far since, nothing quite compares to the peace and pure happiness of those simple days. &quot;Sobrang enjoy… Minsan naiisip ko ‘yung mga panahon na sobrang walang-wala ako, tapos umuuwi ako galing ekwelahan tapos maglalaro lang ako. Mga panahon na wala akong pinoproblema. ‘Yung uuwi kang marumi ang damit mo, pinagpapawisan ka kasi galing kang naglaro ng basketball, matatanggal na lang mga kuko mo kasi napupudpod na ang tsinelas mo kasi wala kang sapatos,&quot; he looked back. But while he never forgets where he came far, Felip also never takes for granted how far he has come. The same boy who once had just five pesos for school allowance can now buy whatever he wants, and for that, he&#x27;s grateful. &quot;Minsan habang nasa shower, bigla kong naiisip na, ‘Grabe! Ang swerte ko naman. Sa dami ng tao, 180 million people sa Pilipinas, tapos limang individuals [ang napasama sa SB19],” he said. “I was so blessed. And I’m so thankful to God for that.&quot;That sense of gratitude is something he picked up from his grandparents, whose wisdom continues to shape him to this day. They say kids raised by their lolo and lola grow up to be kind and well-mannered, and while Felip doesn’t want to think too highly of himself, especially since, as he jokingly admits, he got his fair share of spankings as a kid, there’s no denying that the values they instilled in him have stayed with him through the years.One time, after finishing high school, when he was about to move to the city and rent his own place for college, his grandpa sat him down and gave him a piece of advice he would never forget: “Malaki ka na. Tumatabi ka sa amin matulong hanggang high school. Pero ngayon alam ko na alam mo na kung ano ang mali at tama. I trust you dahil malaki ka na. Kung ano man ang gagawin mo, dahil mag-isa ka na, nasa sa’yo kung ano ang magiging kapalaran mo.”  Felip was in the middle of his architecture studies when he got that life-changing call asking if he wanted to be part of SB19. And without hesitation, he went for it. “I just believed in myself na may talent and skills ako,” he said.Music had always been a huge part of his life. Growing up in church surrounded by instruments and voices, he naturally learned how to play. Singing came just as easily. His family was musically inclined, after all. His older sister was a vocalist in a band, his dad played the piano, and almost everyone in the family could play an instrument. It was in his blood, and even before he knew it, music was already shaping his future.So he knew he had something to offer when he was tapped to join SB19. Besides, he was aware that opportunities like this don&#x27;t come often. As for his studies, he&#x27;s confident that he could always return to architecture since it&#x27;s a field where skills and knowledge aren&#x27;t limited by age.With only ₱1,500 in his pocket, which he had to borrow from his aunt, and with the unwavering support of his family, especially his grandparents, he left for Manila to chase a bigger dream in the world of P-Pop.Unlike his lolo and lola who never opposed his decision, his parents were furious when they found out he dropped out of school to train for SB19. &quot;Parang dalawang taon din kaming hindi nag-usap,&quot; he described how disappointed they were. He realized why—they had worked so hard to provide for their family, and knowing they weren’t well-off only made him feel guilty.But then again, he pushed through with the training. &quot;Sinunod ko ang gusto ko at hindi ‘yung sa kanila o kung anuman ang gusto nila para sa kinabukasan ko. Naisip ko na gusto ko rin gumawa ng future para sa sarili ko.&quot; He thought he would only give P-Pop a shot, and look for a regular job in case things don&#x27;t work out. Eventually, his parents accepted his decision and became so happy for him.Hearing him talk about everything he went through to become a P-Pop idol, it’s easy to see that Felip’s badass rockstar image is just that—a facade. Deep down, he’s got a soft heart, especially when it comes to his family.But does that soft spot extend to girls, too? When prompted to talk about his love life, Felip admitted he never had a girlfriend in high school. He wasn’t really into crushing on girls from the same campus either, joking that he’d get tired of seeing their faces every day. Instead, he found himself drawn to girls from other schools, particularly the pretty ones he’d meet during provincial tournaments whenever he would compete as part of his school&#x27;s Sepak Takraw team.When it comes to his type, he’s got a thing for girls who are into fitness because, to him, it shows discipline. He also has a soft spot for chinitas. But as much as he appreciates a gorgeous face and an active lifestyle, romance isn’t really on his priorities. His focus is locked in on his career and building a solid future for himself—because at the end of the day, that’s the love story he’s most committed to right now.

Felip reflects on his humble beginnings in Pagadian, his journey to SB19, and the kind of girl that catches his eye.

Felip reflects on his humble beginnings in Pagadian, his journey to SB19, and the kind of girl that catches his eye.

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Felip looks back on his simple life in Pagadian, reveals his type of girl

Felip looks back on his simple life in Pagadian, reveals his type of girl

Liezel Dela Cruz

Published Feb 15, 2025 12:24 AM PHT

Read More:

Kuan On One

Felip Suson

Ken Suson

SB19

Melai Cantiveros

SB19 Ken

Kuantie Melai

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