After 31 years, this Pinay finally found her courage to look for her Japanese father.
Kanami Oya Matriz said she didn’t see her father since birth. According to her, he went back to Japan while her mother was still pregnant.
“Single parent na po ‘yung mother ko since birth. Pero lumaki naman po akong puno ng pagmamahal kasi nandoon naman po ‘yung lolo’t lola ko na nag aalaga sa’kin,” Kanami shared with the Philippine STAR.
Mommy Gloria and Daddy Hideo met in Japan. In 1990, they went to the Philippines to get married.
“Na-offeran din daw po ng pera si mama pero never niyang kinuha ‘yon kasi from a well-off family po ‘yung papa ko. Sinabihan na lang ni mama since ayaw nga po na may kaaway no’ng mama ko. Sabi niya parang, “Bumalik ka do’n para [makipag-ayos] do’n sa pamilya.” Pero buntis na po si mama no’n and alam din po ni papa,” she recalled.
Kanami said that her father was in constant communication with her mom for only six months.
She admitted that growing up, there was a missing piece in her life: her long-lost father.
“Everytime na may dumadaan sa ano ko, sa harap ko na nasa 60 na lalaki, iniisip ko, ‘Hindi kaya papa ko na ‘to? Baka mamaya, papa ko na ‘to. Asan kaya si papa?’ Gano’n ako before. Pero sabi ko, ayaw ko mag-post kasi baka mamaya, masaktan si mama na, ‘Bakit hinahanap mo pa? Hindi ka pa ba kumpleto? Hindi pa ba ‘ko sapat?’ she noted.
Kanami has been to Japan five times. This 2023, she went all in to find Daddy Hideo.
“February, lumipad kami pa-Japan. We went to Niigata. Napanaginipan ko siya. Sabi ko, hindi kaya kailangan ko nang hanapin si papa? Ta’s nag-isip na ‘ko no’n na ‘what if i-post ko kaya sa TikTok?’ Bahala na kung magvi-viral,” Kanami said.
After a few hours, her post went viral on the social media platform and many individuals reached out to help find her father.
“Nag-train kami papuntang Shibata. Pagdating namin do’n, abandoned ‘yung bahay. So parang sabi ko, ‘Wala na. Last na ‘to. Wala na talaga. Dead end na.’ Pero naghintay kami. Longing kasi ako so sabi ko, ‘Sige, hintay na lang tayo kung anong mangyayari ba.’ Tapos lumabas ‘yung asawa ng pinagtanungan,” she said.
“In-offeran kami ng mag-asawa na, ‘Sige sasamahan ko kayo sa city hall.’ Pinasakay kami sa sasakyan. Do’n na ‘ko mangiyak-ngiyak na sabi ko, ‘Ang bait naman. Ano ba pa? Ikaw ba ‘to?” she added.
With the help of the couple and her aunt, they were able to get some information at the city hall.
“Binigay sa’kin ‘yung koseki to ni papa. Pagtingin ko, kasi Google Translate, nakalagay do’n, died October 1, 2008. Ayun na. Do’n na ‘ko umiyak. Sabi ko, ‘He’s dead already,’ Kanami said while teary eyed.
“Sabi ko do’n sa puntod niya, ako ‘yung panganay niya. Kasi totoo naman. Ako ‘yung panganay niya. Sabi ko, papa ako ‘yung panganay mo. Ako ‘yung iniwan mo sa Pilipinas. Pero nandito na ‘ko. Okay na nandito na ‘ko. Sabi kong gano’n sa kanya,” she added.
It was indeed a heartbreaking moment for Kanami. Despite that, she was also able to meet her father’s second family.
“So mas umiyak ako. Umiyak ako nang umiyak do’n. Pero sabi ko, okay lang. Naiintindihan ko. At least ngayon, nahanap ko na. Nahanap ko na si papa. And plus pa na nahanap ko na merong another family. So meron pa kaming parang relatives. Parang meron pa ‘kong kapatid doon,” Kanami said.
“Tinuro niya sa ’kin ‘yung wall pictures ni papa. And nakita ko do’n. Nakita ko kung gaano ka-loving na father ‘yung tatay ko. Sabi ko, ‘di ko ‘to na-experience sayang. Kasi parang do’n sa pictures na ‘yon, makikita mo siya na parang sobrang alaga ng tatay ko,” she added.
Kanami said that she was happy to meet her siblings and hopes to bond with them in the future.
“Mission complete nahanap ko siya. I’m grateful for him. I don’t feel any like hatred toward him. Umuwi ako ng Pilipinas na hindi ako pagod, na hindi ako exhausted kahit puro iyak ako. I feel complete,” she stressed.
