Happy tears filled the venue during Lolo Emon’s 90th birthday celebration last March 8, 2025, at a fast-food store.
Lolo Emon’s daughter Maritess de Ocampo-Reyes couldn’t help but become emotional while recalling the special moment.
“Sabi nila, ‘Grabe naman ‘tong birthday na ‘to. ‘Di ba dapat masaya? Ba’t kami umiiyak lahat?’ ‘Yung messages ng mga bata, ‘Habaan mo pa, ‘tay. Mahal na mahal ka namin, kailangan ka pa namin. Hindi pa namin kaya.’ So lahat umiiyak,” Maritess said in an exclusive interview.
“Si Jollibee siya na ‘yung umiiyak. Una, isa lang ‘yung host, nawala, tapos nawala na lahat, until umano na ‘yung mga tao, ‘Uy, nag-iiyak na ‘yung host.” Si tatay nga narinig niya na umiiyak. So lahat na kino-comfort niya,’” she added.
According to Maritess, their father doesn’t want any big events during his birthday since he doesn’t want to spend money on the occasion.
“Si tatay kasi, nagbi-birthday ‘yan talaga yearly. Kahit maliit.Pero ito, one-month na namin pini-prepare until ma-reserve ko na ‘yung Jollibee. Gusto kasi nila [kapatid] may lechon pa. Sabi ko, ‘Huwag nang gano’n. Make it simple dahil ayaw ni tatay gumastos,’” she shared.
Adding, “Sabi ko, ‘Oh ‘tay, kumusta? Magkita tayo bukas.’ ‘Kung ano ‘yung binabalak ninyo, hindi ako pupunta. I-cancel n’yo ‘yan. Ayoko mag-celebrate. Gagastos na naman tayo,’ sabi niyang ganun. Kaming magkakapatid. Nag-usap na kami. Nag-panic kami.Sabi namin sa hipag namin, tsaka ‘yung kuya ko kung saan siya nakatira ngayon, ‘Basta 8 AM aalis kayo, dadalhin n’yo si tatay.’”
Since everything was prepared and his great grandkids were excited, he didn’t have a choice but to join and enjoy the party that his children prepared for him.
“Syempre, nagulat ako. At noon lang nangyari ‘yun dahil 90 na ako. Nakakaano rin sa kanila dahil may mga anak na sila. Nag-aaral. Eh ‘yung akin naman, okay lang naman basta nakita ko lang sila lahat na ‘yan. Okay na,” Lolo Emon said.
“Syempre, naiiyak. Saka, kaligayahan. Matanda na ako, ngayon ko lang naranasan ‘yung mga ganyan. Kaya pinuntahan ko lahat ng crew. Nagpasalamat ako sa kanila. Basta sama-sama kami kahit na wala kaming pagsaluhan. Basta nariyan lang, nakikita ko sila, okay lang,” he added.
After Lolo Emon’s wife passed away, he worked as an OFW to provide the needs of his children.
Maritess described her father as caring, selfless, and understanding.
“Si tatay, lahat ibibigay niya. Dumarating ang point na, lugaw na lang ‘yung kakainin namin maghapon. Pero si tatay, maparaan, kahit saan, kahit ano, papasukin niya,” she stressed.
“Actually, we do not pay back kasi ayaw niya ‘yun. It is how we look back sa lahat ng ginawa niya for us. So ‘yun, kasi at 47, pwede siyang mag-girlfriend, pwede pa siyang mag-asawa Pero hindi. I-devote niya ‘yung self niya sa family niya, sa amin. [Si] tatay kasi kung isa-shower mo siya with mga gifts, hindi siya ‘yung ganun eh. Walang ganun. Never din ‘yan nanghingi. Parati niyang sasabihin, ‘Basta dito kayo, kumpleto kayo,’” she said while teary eyed.
Lolo Emon said when asked about his message to his family, “Nagpapasalamat ako sa kanilang pagmamahal para sa akin. Kahit matanda na ako, tinataguyod pa rin nila ako. Kaya maraming salamat. Kaligayahan mo na makita silang maligaya. Masasaya.”
