A proud family moment unfolded for celebrity couple Jennylyn Mercado and Dennis Trillo, along with the actor’s former partner, beauty queen Carlene Aguilar, as they celebrated the latest achievement of their son Calix Ho in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 fencing tournament.
Calix, the son of Dennis and Carlene who started fencing three years ago, claimed the gold medal in the Men’s Epee individual event while representing the University of the Philippines. The competition took place at the Makati Coliseum on March 13, where the young fencer triumphed in the finals with a 15–12 victory against Edan Ensamtan of De La Salle University.
Dennis later shared glimpses of the match through an Instagram reel, showing Calix in action while his family cheered from the sidelines. The video also captured the moment the athlete received his gold medal.
“He did it, I knew it👏🏻🏆 congrats @_calixandreass , you make us proud, keep it up, we love you💚,” Dennis wrote in the caption of his post.
Carlene also marked the victory on social media, posting a photo on her Instagram Stories showing her embracing Calix shortly after his winning bout. Meanwhile, Jennylyn reposted photos from the event and shared a shot of Calix during the competition, tagging the young athlete.
Student-run accounts of the University of the Philippines on Instagram also posted some snaps of the family during the event.
“GLOWING IN GOLD 🏆
Calix Ho clinched the gold medal in the Men’s Epee Individual event of the #UAAPSeason88 Fencing Tournament, and celebrated the triumph with his family, Dennis Trillo, Jennylyn Mercado, and Carlene Aguilar,” the caption read.
This is not the first time the actor proudly shared his son’s milestones in the sport. In 2023, Dennis posted a TikTok compilation highlighting Calix’s performance in a fencing match, noting that it was his first time seeing his son compete.
Last year, the actor also celebrated another achievement when Calix secured first place in the U20 Men’s Epee category during the 2025 Mandaleño Fencing Cup held in Mandaluyong City.
Dennis and Jennylyn often appear alongside Carlene in celebrating family milestones, reflecting their co-parenting dynamic. Back in 2024, the beauty queen publicly acknowledged Jennylyn’s role in their blended family as she thanked the actress in the comments of a birthday greeting for Calix, writing: “Thank you mommy Jen for loving Calix as your own.”
READ: Dennis Trillo defends wife Jennylyn Mercado amid rumors about her relationship with his family
Meanwhile, Dennis spoke up to defend his wife after online rumors surfaced questioning her relationship with his family earlier this year.
“Sa mga hindi po nakakakilala sa aking asawa, isa siya sa pinakamabuting tao sa buhay ko. Isang pribilehiyo na ako ang pinili niyang makasama habang buhay. Ang mga magulang ko naman ay may edad na po. Hindi din sila showbiz at tahimik lang sila na namumuhay... wag naman sana sila bigyan ng isyu. Mahal na mahal ko po silang lahat at maayos ang samahan namin kahit di man kami madalas nagkakasama dahil sadyang busy ang aming mga schedules,” he previously wrote in a post.
Dennis and Jennylyn tied the knot in 2021. They share a daughter, Dylan Jayde, born in 2022. Jennylyn also has a son, Jazz, with her former partner, actor Patrick Garcia.