Video of OFW father singing at kids' wake goes viral

A video of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) father serenading his kids at their wake has gone viral, according to a GMA Integrated News Newsfeed report.

The video showed OFW Jose Alvarez emotionally singing to his 17-year-old son Ronju and 26-year-old daughter Ymae.

The father worked in the United States for almost two years to give his family a good life. He last saw them in 2022.

Jose did not reveal Ronju's and Ymae’s cause of death.

"Idinaan ko sa kanta yung sakit na wala akong matanungan. Kaya ang tinatanong ko roon yung God. Ang sabi ko, 'Bakit ganito ang buhay?” Jose said.

(I sang through the pain since I had no one to ask. That's why I'm asking God. I said, "Why did life turn out this way?")

“Sabi ko, 'Tara na sa ating paraiso.' Kasi yung lagi ang tinatanong ng anak kong  bunso, kung kailan ako uuwi, kailan ako hindi na babalik ng Amerika," he  added.

(I told them ‘Let’s go to paradise.’ Because my youngest always asked when I would come home. When would I no longer have to return to America.)

Jose said he had planned to retire since he was 60 years old. But because of the death of his kids, he would return to the United States to grieve.

"Noong una tinanong ko ang God pero ang sinasabi ko sa anak ko na ngayon, 'May purpose ka anak kaya hayaan mo. Huwag ka nang umiyak kasi may purpose ang God,' sabi ko," said Jose.

(At first, I asked God. But I had told my children, "You have a purpose so let it go. Do not cry because God has a purpose.") — Mariel Celine Serquiña/DVM, GMA Integrated News