Gazini Ganados has no resentment for Palestinian father
13 Feb – Miss Universe Philippines Gazini Ganados admitted that she was elated over finally meeting her father whom she had never met her entire life.
As reported on Push, the beauty queen who first shared about the meeting in late January, told the hosts of "Magandang Buhay" that her Palestinian father found out about her after seeing her first interview on the said show earlier.
"It reached him because his friend was like, "This girl looks familiar. Maybe this is your daughter". So he messaged me on my Facebook page, which my boyfriend screencapped in case of bad comments. So he found my dad's message, and they started to come up with a surprise," she said, adding that her father even came to the Philippines to see her.
Speaking about the meeting, Ganados said that she was speechless upon seeing him for the first time, as she only knew him from a framed photo of him and her mother back when they were in college.
"He really looked like me. He's like the male version of me," she said.
Ganados, who grew up in Cebu with her mother and grandfather, said that her father didn't know she existed.
"When he left, he asked my mum to go with him. But my mum said she has to take care of my grandparents. They were together for four years and were trying to have a baby together, but it didn't happen. It was not until they parted ways that my mum learned that she was pregnant," she said.
Ganados stressed that she has no resentment against her father, adding that she is only happy to finally meet him.
"He said he is sorry and that he didn't know anything, that he loves me and he's so proud of me. I'm so happy," she added.
In a previous interview, the beauty queen admitted that part of the reason she joined the pageant was so that she could travel and possibly find her dad in Palestine.
"I don't know if he is still alive. I'm hoping for the best. He's a Palestinian. I just wanna go there and try to look for him. I would give him a hug. I would thank him for the genes because without him, I wouldn't be here... I'd be joyful."
(Photo Source: Cosmopolitan Philippines)
