From left) Raquel Pempengco, Jake Zyrus. Images: Screengrab from YouTube/Morly Alinio, File photo
Raquel Pempengco disclosed that she is still not on good terms with her son, singer Jake Zyrus, while reminding him that his mental health struggles will improve if they choose to reconcile.
In an interview with showbiz vlogger Morly Alinio on his YouTube channel last Saturday, Nov. 4, Pempengco said she’s worried about her son’s struggle with his mental health, but pointed out that he would “feel better” if they would patch up their relationship.
“Nandito lang ako, dahil hindi luluwag ang pakiramdam mo hangga’t magulang mo ang kalaban mo,” she said. “Hindi aayos ang pakiramdam mo, hindi siya magkakaroon ng peace of mind kasi hanggang ngayon, mabigat pa rin ang dinadala niya sa magulang niya. Ang magulang, ang pamilya, mag-usap lang kayo nang masinsinan, mawawala ‘yan.”
(I’m here for him, because he wouldn’t feel better if he continues to view his parents as an enemy. He wouldn’t feel better, he wouldn’t have a peace of mind because until now, he harbors something against his parents. Parents and family in general, just talk to them properly, you will feel better.)
Pempengco hoped that Zyrus would reach out to her at the right time, saying all she wanted was to hear her son’s assurance that he’s doing okay. “‘Yun ang kulang ngayon kay Jake dahil alam niyang hindi kami on good terms (That’s what Jake lacks because he knows we’re not on good terms.)
“Siguro kapag nag-reach out lang siya, ‘Okay lang ba kayo diyan? Wag kang mag-alala, okay ako dito. Gusto ko lang ng malaya na at malayo na sa showbiz,’” she continued. “‘Yun sana ang gusto ko mangyari. Kahit hindi na niya kami tulungan, meron lang kaming koneksyon.”
(I guess if he reaches out by asking, “Are you okay? Don’t worry, I’m fine here. I just want to have freedom and be far from showbiz.” That’s what I want to happen. Even if he doesn’t help us, I just want us to maintain their connection.)
During the interview, the singer’s mother also admitted being hurt when Zyrus — who was formerly known as Charice Pempengco — decided to come out as a transgender man in 2017.
“Masakit sa akin. Noong pinagbubuntis ko siya, namanata ako nang siyam na buwan para maging babae. Masakit sa’kin na ‘yung akala kong Charice Pempengco na malapit sa ina at ako ‘yung buhay niya, na mula nang mag-Jake siya, nawala lahat,” she said.
“Mas masakit din kasi nag-expect ako na for life kami magkasama. Iniisip ko kung nagkamali man ako [sa isang bagay], pero hindi naman gan’un kabigat para kalimutan niyang ina niya ako,” she further added.
(It hurts. When I was pregnant with her, I vowed to have a girl after nine months. It hurts that the person whom I thought was Charice Pempengco and was close to her mother — almost seeing her as her life — will let go of our relationship after being Jake. It hurts because I expected that we would be together for life. I was thinking that even if I did something wrong, it’s not a grave mistake for him to forget that I’m his mother.)
Pempengco noted that despite being hurt about her son coming out, she appealed to the public to spare the singer from negative remarks and understand where he’s coming from.
“Ako na lang ang uunawa. Kahit gaano siya kalayo, kahit gaano katagal siyang hindi mag-reach out sa amin, basta family pa rin namin siya,” she said. “Gusto ko lang ipaalam sa mga tao na tahimik na si Jake. Bigyan niyo siya ng [karapatang mamuhay nang] malaya kasi tao lang rin naman ‘yun.”
(I chose to understand it. Even if he’s far away, even if he hasn’t reached out to us, I still consider him as family. I want to tell the public that Jake is at peace. Give him the right to live freely because he’s only human.)
While referring to her son as “Charice,” Pempengco became emotional while noting their fall out, but stressed that she didn’t do anything wrong as his mother.
“Charice, nami-miss ko ‘yung dati mong ginagawa at sinasabi sa’kin. Namimiss ko lahat. Sana hindi siya nagbago. Para sa’kin, wala akong ginawang masama. Charice… sana hindi mo binago ‘yung ugali mo para sa pamilya mo (Charice, I miss everything you do and say to me. I miss everything. I hope he didn’t change. For me, I didn’t do anything wrong. Charice, I hope you didn’t change),” she said.
The singer has yet to make a statement about his mother’s remarks, as of this writing.
Zyrus has since been away from the public eye since May 2023, after he declared that he would be taking a break from social media as a way of “fighting back” those who tried to “break” him.
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