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or the first time ever, El Lalong, 22, celebrated Father’s Day with her dad, who is rarely at home because of work.

When she was told that her father was going to spend several months in Jakarta, El browsed the internet and found out that Father’s Day fell on Nov. 12. So she decided to spend quality time with her dad.

“I found out about Father’s Day around two months ago. I never celebrated it before, because the last time I lived with my dad was 12 years ago when he was working in Jakarta,” El told The Jakarta Post Sunday.

El, who works as a private employee, celebrated the occasion in a simple manner, eating chicken porridge for breakfast and watching the National Geographic Channel.

El’s mother, who was out of town, and her younger brother, who lives in a university dorm, were unable to join them in the celebration.

Therefore, El hopes that next year’s Father’s Day will be merrier with the presence of her entire family.

“It is good if people get informed about Father’s Day because it can strengthen the relationship between the child and the father,” El said.

She said that since Father’s Day was not as popular as Mother’s Day, she hoped the government would raise awareness about it.

While El showed excitement, Muhammad Helmi Abidin, 31, reacted differently.

“There was no tradition in my family of celebrating or congratulating them [fathers] during Father’s Day. Even on Mother’s Day, I said nothing to my mom,” Helmi said, adding that none of his siblings celebrated the occasion.

Helmi, who only congratulates his parents on their birthdays, said he was certain that his father was not aware that Father’s Day existed.

Father’s Day did not exist until 11 years ago when a women’s association, Perkumpulan Putra Ibu Pertiwi, declared Nov. 12, the day in which National Health Day is also celebrated, as Father’s Day in Surakarta, Central Java.

Internationally, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June, while in Catholic Europe, the day, also known as St. Joseph’s Day, is celebrated on March 19.

The association believes that the father figure is an important element in shaping one’s character.

After the declaration, the association submitted the Father’s Day declaration charter and a book, Memories for Father, to former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and regents in four cities, namely Sabang in Aceh, Merauke in Papua, Sangihe Talaud in North Sulawesi and Rote Island in East Nusa Tenggara.

Even though it was not popular at first, as the time went by, people began to recognize it.

Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) deputy head Rita Pranawati said fathers were not only important for the family’s economy, but key to a child’s development.

“Children who get enough affection from their fathers will grow more confident, dare to take risks and have a strong will,” Rita said.

She encouraged fathers to spend more time with their children, saying technology would not be able to replace the familial bond developed through face-to-face interactions.

Rita also said that fathers were expected to have sufficient knowledge on parenting and stay committed because children looked for their affection and attention.

Prior to Father’s Day, the Education and Culture Ministry held on Nov. 5 a morning exercise and fun walk along Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin during Car Free Day. The event was attended by more than one thousand people.