Amy Perez was unable to hold back her tears as she offered words of encouragement to a “Tawag ng Tanghalan” bet whose longing for his father motivated him to join the singing competition.

Prior to the interview with Perez and co-host Vice Ganda, Dumaguete singer Syo Umetsu was disqualified via “gong” after a lackluster performance, which was admittedly marred by nerves.

Perez and Vice Ganda noted that Umetsu did appear anxious both during his number and the interview. When he did talk about his situation — of having never met his father, and living apart from his Cebu-based mother, he did so with little detail and a tentative demeanor.

But Perez, drawing from her experience as a mother, was moved by Umetsu’s story and sympathized with his mission that has yet bear fruit. When Vice Ganda noticed Perez appeared to be holding back tears, the latter’s voice broke as she began to address the contestant.

“Naiiintindihan ko ‘yung sitwasyon niya. Mahirap talaga ‘yun para sa bata,” Perez said. “Kaya lang kasi, Syo, kailangan dumating sa point na matanggap mo ‘yung mga bagay na mahirap ipaliwanag, mahirap pagdugtungin, mahirap buoin. Pero may mga pangyayari kasing kailangan na lang natin tanggapin, na ganu’n na siya talaga.”

In his pre-performance reel, Umetsu narrated that he specifically joined “Tawag ng Tanghalan,” in the hopes of being seen by his Japanese father. According to Umetsu, his parents are married, but his father left them when he was one year old for another partner.

His determination to find his father translated even to his choice of school. Short of finishing high school, he enrolled in a Japanese school so he can learn the language and eventually find work in Japan.

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Over the past two years, according to Umetsu, he has been actively looking for his father, with the help of social media, but the search has only been so far in vain.

“Darating ang araw, marahil — pagdarasal natin ‘yun — na makita mo ‘yung tatay mo,” Perez continued. “Pero para sa ikabubuti ng sitwasyon mo, at ng puso mo, kailangan tanggapin mo na ito na ‘yon.”

“Gusto ko maging matibay ka, gusto ko maging malakas ko, gusto ko gawin mo lahat ‘yung pangarap mo at gusto mong gawin sa buhay,” she said.