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Singer Kai Honasan made her mark in the music industry after qualifying in the ABS-CBN hit reality singing competition The Voice. Her sweet voice definitely caught the attention of all four judges and her unique style of singing captured the hearts of many Filipino fans. But her relationship with her famous father, Senator Gringo Honasan, who accompanied her during her blind auditions, remained a mystery until Kai decided to reveal their unique story in her blog.
It’s no secret to the public that Sen. Honasan, a former member of the military and a politician, spent years behind the bars for being involved in coup attempts. A rebel in the eyes of many, Honasan was not always there for his daughter during her growing up years.
Like most young girls who grew up without their fathers, Kai longed for a father figure especially during important events in her life particularly her high school graduation. Of course, Sen. Honasan’s circumstances at that time didn’t allow him to be there for his youngest child.
“How dare he skip MY graduation? How dare he not stop his world for such a significant moment in MY life? Of course, during this time I was only 17 and had to accept a different reality: my dad was in hiding, on the run from the government. How could I compete? My dad was disliked and painted as a coward but I promise you, absolutely no one could’ve hated him more than I did at that very moment,” Kai wrote.
Mending a Broken Relationship
Months after her high school graduation, fate reunited Kai and her father. At that time, Honasan was caught and detained in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. This allowed Kai and her family to spend time with Honasan on weekends and on special occasions. Despite Honasan’s efforts to reconnect with her, Kai still refused to warm up to him.
“It didn’t matter. All that mattered was he hurt me. I wanted to make sure he felt it — and he did.”
When Honasan was finally released and won the senatorial seat in 2013, it gave him the opportunity to be there for his daughter. Kai, on the other hand, had the chance to get to know her father.
“During this time I was getting to know this guy, I found myself sympathizing with him for the first time. I learned how to be grateful. I still had a roof over my head, food on my plate, money for tuition and a car to drive myself to and from school — he never abandoned us. I only believed that because it was the easier choice. Holding on to my anger towards him made me realize how selfish I was.”
Giving Strategic Love Advice
Most young ladies wouldn’t probably seek love advice from their dads but this is what Kai exactly did after experiencing her first real heartbreak. But instead of comforting her, Honasan gave her a strategic advice to move on.
“He sat across me and asked, ‘What do you do next?’ He began to enumerate steps, as if we were planning a highly classified covert operation. ‘Never show anger publicly.’ he said. ‘And always, always choose to be kind.’”
Getting Their First Milestone
During Kai’s The Voice Blind Audition, Honasan was finally there for his daughter, beaming with pride. Although Honasan missed many of Kai’s important milestones, his presence on that day probably made Kai the happiest daughter on the planet.
“Hopefully, this compensates for missing your graduation,” Honasan told Kai.
Read Kai Honasan’s complete story by visiting her blog.
Featured image credits to YouTube.
