Filipino-Korean police officer tearfully reunites with mother after three decades

After being separated for three decades, a Filipino-Korean police officer was finally reunited with his mother.

In an interview on "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho," Oh Jun Young, or Julius Manalo, opened up about his parents—his musician father, Eustaquio, and his mother, Oh Geum Nim, who met in Korea.

While their relationship did not last long, it brought Julius into the world. Unfortunately, his father had to return to the Philippines in 1993, and he took Julius with him.

"Pinakita naman po ng tatay ko kasi sa nanay ko nun na inaalagaan niya ako nang maayos. So nagtiwala po 'yung nanay ko sa tatay ko na dalhin ako sa Pilipinas," Julius said.

["My father showed my mother he was taking good care of me, so she trusted him to bring me to the Philippines."]

Julius was told that they would only go on a two-week vacation in the United States.

"So pagdating ko ng Pilipinas, ang unang talagang nagulat ako nu'ng inamin na sa akin ng tatay ko na, 'Hindi ka na babalik ng Korea.' So s'yempre bilang bata na ayoko sanang pumunta ng Pilipinas at makasama 'yung nanay ko na lang sana. Sobrang naglulupasay ako nun, nag-iiyak ako nu'n," he said.

["When I arrived in the Philippines, my father told me, 'You're not going back to Korea.' As a child, I wanted to stay with my mother, so I cried and threw a fit."]

Julius often asked to see his mom again, but his father told him he had to study hard to return. He and his mother communicated through a neighbor's phone for the first two months.

And then, his world was shattered anew.

"Second month pagtawag niya, parang meron na pong balita na binigay sa tatay ko. The reason why daw ako binigay sa tatay ko is dahil mag-aasawa ang nanay ko and ayaw ako ng mapapangasawa niya," Julius said.

["By the second month, my father heard that my mother gave me to him because she was remarrying, and her new husband didn't want me."]

He expressed anger toward his mother, asking if she gave him up because she was getting married, but she denied it.

Facing tough realities of life

Julius grew up in Tondo, where he admitted that he and his father struggled in life.

There was a point when Eustaquio had to work abroad again and Julius had to live at a friend's house.

Julius collected metal, wood, and copper to sell at a junk shop. He also sold rags made by his father near LRT Tayuman.

"Kunwari kumita kami ng 250 pesos, automatic 'yung 200 dito po 'yun sa bahay. Tapos 'yung 50 po. 'yun po ang parang regalo sa akin ng tatay ko. Tapos mag-iiwan siya sa 200 ng magkano para unti-unti makaipon ulit kami ng pambiling retaso," he said.

["When we earned 250 pesos, 200 went home, and the remaining 50 was my dad's gift to me. He would set aside some of the 200 to help us save for fabric."]

"Kasi napagdesisyunan na rin ng tatay ko na hindi na siya aalis ng bansa kasi ayaw niya na ako iwan sa ganoong sitwasyon na parang awkward na nakikitira and parang hindi ka feel at home," he added.

["My dad decided not to leave the country anymore because he didn't want me to feel awkward living with others and not at home."]

Julius has an older half-brother, actor Jay Manalo. When Jay learned that Julius was selling rags, he supported him through high school.

"In fairness po kay Kuya hindi naman siya 'yung pinabayaan kami na 'bahala kayo.' 'Pag may sobra siya talagang tumutulong din naman sa amin," he said.

["My brother never abandoned us. Whenever he had extra money, he would really help us."]

Julius earned a basketball scholarship in college and became a police officer after graduation. He now has his own family with two children.

The search

Julius kept on the search for his mom. It led to many "dead ends."

"Unang-una po akong nagkaroon ng access sa internet mga 1999 or 2000. So 'yun ang tinype ko pangalan ng nanay ko. Wala. Pangalan ng pinsan ko na kilala ko, wala. Every time ganun," he said.

["I first gained access to the internet around 1999 or 2000. I typed in my mom's name, but found nothing. I tried my cousin's name too, but still nothing; it was always a dead end."] 

He would look up the names of his cousins on social media, asking them if they were actually them. He would also go to Korean stores, dress up in his uniform to look presentable, befriend the owner, and ask them questions.

"Ang dead end is privacy law. Na hindi sila basta puwede magbigay ng info kahit na meron kang names and address, kung saan na ba siya lumipat," he said.

["It was difficult to get any information from anyone because of privacy laws. They can't give out information even if they have the names and addresses or know where they have lived."]

But one day, he got to talk to someone who knew a Korean producer and offered to introduce him.

During a water filter installation at his in-laws' house, Julius's daughter caught the attention of a Korean agent, Steven Huh. After learning of her heritage, the agent expressed interest in his story, mentioning that he had a friend who was a producer at TV Chosun and would share his story.

"At that time, I was thinking about my mother. Even though I was staying in the Philippines, I sent her a picture every day, because I missed her. But Julius had not met his mother for 31 years," Steven said. 

They aired Julius' story every week for three months until they finally received a call and traced the whereabouts of his mother.

"Ang unang reaction nung nanay ko is, 'Kumusta siya and OK ba siya?' So parang kahit kinakabahan ako na baka hindi niya ako kitain. Although nakita ko na siya, nung pinapanood parang may kaba pa rin eh. Tapos pumunta po sila doon sa bahay ng nanay ko," Julius said.

["My mom's first reaction was to ask, 'How is he? Is he OK?' I felt nervous, worried that she might not want to see me. Even though I had seen her on screen, I still felt anxious when the producers  came to my mom's house."]

The KMJS team also got to talk with the mother, Geum Nim, who said that it was a difficult decision for her to let her son go with his father.

"When Julius was gone, it hurt so much. I prayed every day, and never forgot about him. I wished that his dad's life would be better than mine. It makes me tear up," she said in Korean.

The reunion

Julius flew to Korea with his wife and children on September 6 and finally saw his mom again.

"Pagtingin ko po may babaeng lumalakad. Nu'ng nakita ko po 'yung mukha, naaninag ko, doon ko napatunayan na meron palang lukso ng dugo na parang, 'Nanay ko 'yun! Alam kong Nanay ko 'yun!' So wala po talagang script 'yun. Talagang napasigaw na lang ako sa kanya na, 'Eomma!'" he said.

["I saw a woman walking, and when I saw her face, I realized, 'That's my mom!' I shouted, 'Eomma!'. That wasn't scripted."]

"Habang tumatakbo ko na parang pakiramdam ko nawawala uniporme ko ng pulis, nagiging uniform ng basketball then mawawala, magiging college student, high school student, elementary. Then, darating 'yung point na bumalik kami sa airport," he added.

["As I ran, it felt like my police uniform was changing– first into a basketball uniform, then into a college student's, then a high school student's, and finally an elementary student's. Then, we returned to the airport."]

Geum Nim, his mother, was full of apologies for her son, but Julius wouldn't accept them.

"Sinasabi ko lang parang, 'Hindi! Hindi,' tapos 'I love you! I love you!' Ganun lang po ang sinasabi ko. Tapos sobrang iyak ko na, na hagulgol," he said.

["I kept saying, 'No! No!' and then 'I love you! I love you!' while sobbing."]

Julius said it felt as if the world had fallen silent at that moment. After reuniting, his mother took him for Korean barbecue.

"Hindi ko nga po alam e masaya ako pero naluluha ako habang kumakain nu'n e. Nu'ng nakikita ako ng misis ko na naluluha, naluluha rin siya. Nung nakita naman siya ng nanay ko naluha din ang nanay ko, nung nakita ng kaibigan naluha rin. Lahat kami nag-iyakan na. Pero masaya po kami nun," Julius said.

["I was happy, but I also felt like I was going to cry while we were eating. When my wife saw my teary eyes, she looked like she was about to cry too. My mom was the same, and we all ended up crying—but we were really happy."]

Julius was back in the Philippines, but it was hardly the end of their story, as he continued to talk to his mother every day and they planned to meet again.

"Hindi lang po gaanong option ang video call, kasi hindi po talaga ako marunong mag-Korean pa. Ibabalik ko 'yun, pag-aaralan ko," he said. "Pero ang plan is how to see as more frequently kasi nga para maka-catch up sa mga nawalang time. So siya naman ang pupunta dito, ang plano namin."

["There weren't many options for video calls because I don't know how to speak Korean yet. I promised to learn. The plan was to see each other more more often to make up for lost time, and she is supposed to visit here as we planned."]

"Parang nasabi ko sa kanya lahat. Pero uulitin ko sa kanya na nagpapasalamat ako sa kanya dahil kumbaga nag-stay alive siya, naantay niya akong lumakas at mahanap siya. And nakapag-reunite kami," he added. "And itong mga darating na time, gagawa kami ng mga memories na magkakasama kami para maka-catch up sa mga nawalang taon sa amin," he added.

["I felt like I told her everything. But I am truly grateful that she stayed alive and waited for me to get stronger and find her. We were able to reunite," he added. "In the future, we will create new memories to make up for  the years we lost."] —JCB, GMA Integrated News