When Alvin Miranda and Jappy Reyes met in 2011, one of the first things they talked about was starting a family. “On our first date, Jappy asked if I wanted kids and said that we probably wouldn’t work out if I didn’t,” recalls Alvin, 43, vice president of marketing. “I really liked him, so I said yes—then joked, ‘But what would they call us? We can’t both be Dad.’ Now, they call me Papa and him Dada.”

Little did they know that this early conversation would one day lead to not just one child, but two—twins, Gia and Franc, born via surrogacy in October 2024. Jappy Reyes, 41, group director for marketing, communications, and sustainability, had always envisioned building a family. “We originally prioritized and explored adoption. But one of our stipulations was that our future children would have to be legally both ours,” he explains. “This was virtually impossible to do in the Philippines or in the countries we were living in at the time, which was Singapore and France.”

Their parenting journey officially began in May 2018, a year after the couple married in France. “We were both in our mid-30s. We had been together for around seven years and were more comfortable with ourselves as individuals and confident in our partnership as a couple. The timing felt right,” says Jappy.

They began doing their own research, which eventually led them to California. “It had the most advanced and progressive surrogacy laws, and an established commercial surrogacy industry,” shares Alvin. During a trip to San Diego in 2018, they visited a surrogacy agency, signed up, and even provided sperm samples—all within the same week.

But in 2019, as the pandemic began to unfold, the couple decided to pause their plans. Then the agency they had signed with abruptly shut down. “The owner was arrested for mismanaging client funds,” says Jappy. “We were lucky to recover our six embryos from Mexico after a lot of drama and help from lawyers in Mexico City.”

In 2022, they restarted the process with the San Diego Fertility Center, following a friend’s recommendation. Soon after, they partnered with Same Love Surrogacy, an agency focused on LGBTQ+ families, which helped guide and prepare them for the next steps. “We had to take psychological tests to ensure we were fit for parenthood, and we were also connected to a law firm specializing in surrogacy laws,” adds Jappy. Once cleared and ready, the next step was choosing an egg donor from a catalog.

For surrogacy to succeed, there must be a strong match between the intended parents and the surrogate, as well as her family. Alvin recalls that connection in September 2022. “Fortunately, we matched with the most wonderful surrogate, who has such a loving and supportive family—she’s married with two kids. We were so lucky that they chose us!”

After four failed IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization) attempts and nearly running out of embryos, the couple created a new batch of nine viable embryos. In February 2023, they proceeded with their fifth IVF cycle, opting for a double embryo transfer. Half of the eggs had been fertilized with Jappy’s genetic material and the other half with Alvin’s, resulting in a 50/50 genetic split. Six weeks later, they found out they were pregnant—with twins.

The months leading up to the birth were both exciting and overwhelming. Jappy, who was based in Bangkok at the time, had to juggle travel arrangements, book tickets and accommodations, and settle bills in preparation for their twins’ arrival in the U.S. The pressure took a toll that culminated in a panic attack and a missed flight.

“I had a meltdown,” he admits. “If I couldn’t even get flight details right, how could I be a suitable parent to two innocent babies?” In moments like these, Jappy leaned on Alvin for strength, both emotionally and mentally. “He is such a wonderful, kind, and smart human being,” he says. “He chose me, and we chose this journey together. Aljaps or bust. He’s my rock.”

Through these tough moments, the couple prioritizes communication. “We’re big talkers,” says Alvin. “Jappy is into scenario-planning, and I’d listen and help him work through all the possible outcomes.” They also made it a point to speak to their future children—affirming their love and commitment even before birth. “We would tell them how much we wanted them, how hard we worked to have them, and how we’d do everything to be the best parents we could be.”

Mentally and emotionally, the couple has been preparing for parenthood for years—openly discussing fears, past hurts, and personal traumas, while committing to their own healing to avoid passing those issues onto their children. They also enrolled in an online pre-parenting course recommended by their surrogacy agency, where they learned the basics of newborn care such as diaper changes and bottle feeding.

“Seeing our babies for the first time was surreal,” Jappy says. “One minute we were holding our surrogate’s hand during the C-section, and the next, we each had a baby in our arms—just the most delicate little things.”

Their family and friends played a vital role in supporting this new chapter. Jappy’s mom flew to Oklahoma to help care for the newborn twins during their first six weeks. Additionally, his sister and an aunt visited and assisted for 10 days. Once settled back in Manila and returning to work, Alvin’s family would often come to their home to help care for the twins, or the couple would leave the babies with Jappy’s mom for the day.

Parenthood has deepened their bond. “Our roles are fluid and organic,” reflects Jappy. Alvin adds that he finds joy in this new facet of their relationship and in seeing Jappy evolve through fatherhood.

Their advice to other same-sex couples? “Start early,” says Jappy. “Find the right partners, legal support, and be prepared emotionally. It’s hard, but so worth it.” Alvin sums it up, “It’s amazing and scary—being fully responsible for these two beautiful babies is daunting, but also wonderfully magical.”