NAGKAROON AKO KAMAKAILAN ng isang mapusong interview with Sitti sa The Buzz kung saan sa unang pagkakataon ay nagbukas siya ng saloobin tungkol sa kanyang tunay na ama.
She was only nine months old when her parents separated at magmula noon ay hindi na niya nakita o nakilala ang kanyang ama. Kapag tinatanong daw niya noon ang kanyang ina about her dad ay hindi raw ito umiimik but her grandparents said he was already dead. She was in Grade Six when her family finally told the truth that he’s still alive.
Hindi niya tinanong ang pamilya kung sino ang kanyang ama. “Siguro po it wasn’t a good parting between him and my mom. Everytime anyone brings up the topic, lahat sila, iyong animosity talaga nila mapi-feel mo. Siguro po ako subconsciously, since ganoon ang nakikita ko, I don’t want to bring it up anymore. Para sa akin, wala naman pong patutunguhan,” paliwanag ni Sitti.
Sitti was in Grade Six when she had her first contact with her father’s family. Nagpunta ang kanyang tita sa kanilang bahay at sinabing kamukha si Sitti ng kanyang ama. Hindi raw niya alam kung paano magre-react. “Nung umalis na po siya sabi niya she’ll be in contact. The next contact was when Friendster came about. Eldest brother ko, father side, in-add po niya ako sa Friendster.” Alam raw niyang kuya niya ito kasi ang pangalan nito ay may junior at nagpakilala ito sa kanya. Pero hindi raw siya nag-reply.
Naiiyak si Sitti habang nagkukuwento. “Siguro po I feel bad kasi they were trying to communicate with me before pa but I was too young. I didn’t know how to deal with it. I just ignored it.”
Marami pang mga sumunod na pangyayari gaya nang magkaroon siya ng mall show. During the autograph signing, she was surprised when her brother asked her to sign a CD. Ang pinsan niya sa father’s side at ang kanyang tita sa mother’s side ay may komunikasyon pa rin sa isa’t isa kaya nagkaroon ng chance mag-usap ang mag-ama. “I don’t know what to say. It’s like talking to a stranger. I’m just being polite,” pag-amin ni Sitti. Her father apologized for whatever happened in the past.
There were times na nagkikita sila ng kanyang mga kamag-anak sa father’s side. Sitti then decided to give her contact number to her father. “Last year, he’s been texting me. Minsan nag-reply ako, minsan ‘di po ako nag-text. I just don’t know how to handle it.”
Sitti and her father finally reunited after 27 years last April 25 nang lumipad siya papuntang Tawi-Tawi. Naisip niyang ito na ang tamang oras na magkita si-lang dalawa. Hindi raw niya alam kung ano ang mangyayari pagdating sa Tawi-Tawi. She grew up without seeing a single picture of her dad. Kwinento ni Sitti sa akin about what happened when they saw each other at the airport. Sabi niya, “Doon ko po na-realize na I think I’ve always loved my dad even if I’d never seen him. Pinakahuling message niya sa akin, he’ll always say sorry to the people he has hurt. Sabi ko, ‘Stop saying sorry.’ Naiintindihan ko po. Lumaki ako thinking na ‘di ko kailangan ng tatay, ‘di ko siya kailangan sa buhay ko, pero when I saw him meron pala akong matatawag na papa. Ngayon ko lang na-realize na I’ve been missing on something.” Nagpapasalamat daw si Sitti sa Panginoon, kay God, at kay Allah at sana raw ay magkita pa silang uling mag-ama.
Kaibigan, usap tayo muli!
Points of Boy
by Boy Abunda
