After five years of silence and distance, veteran TV host Joey de Leon and his son, actor Keempee de Leon, have finally mended their relationship, marking a heartwarming moment for their family.
Keempee took to social media last June 2024 to share that he visited the ‘Eat Bulaga’ studio to greet his father on Father’s Day—a brave step after years of estrangement.
In a press conference for his latest GMA Network project, ‘Prinsesa ng City Jail’, Keempee opened up about how emotional the reconciliation process was, particularly their second meeting at Joey’s house in September 2024.
“Ninerbiyos ako, hindi ko alam kung papasok ako. Nagpasundo ako sa pamangkin ko, ‘yung anak ni Cheenee,” Keempee recalled. “Sabi ko, ‘Ano na nangyayari’? Sabi niya, ‘Lahat sila nandoon na, hinihintay ka’. Parang outsider ang feeling ko. Sabi ko, ‘Sige bahala na’. Sumilip na lang ako. Sabi ko, ‘Dy…’ Sabi ni Daddy, ‘Oh, halika’.”
The atmosphere was initially filled with silence until Keempee hugged Joey’s wife, Eileen Macapagal, and apologized. He then noticed his sister, Jocas, crying.
“Total silence talaga. Yumakap na lang ako kay Tita Eileen ko, nag-sorry ako, tapos yung kapatid ko si Jocas, nakita ko umiiyak. Sabi ko, ‘Bakit ka umiiyak’? Sabi niya sa akin, ‘Ang tagal mong nawala, eh’. So, na-feel ko na at home ulit ako, na welcome ako. So, yung forgiveness sa family, nandoon pa rin,” he shared.
During the celebration, Joey invited Keempee to see one of the newly renovated rooms in their house.
“Noong ina-arrange nila ang cake para sindihan, tinawag ako ni Daddy. Sabi niya, ‘Nakita mo na ba ‘yung kuwarto’?’ Sabi ko, ‘Hindi pa’! Pagpasok ko, sabi ko, ‘Ang ganda’. Tapos, inakbayan niya ako. Umiyak na ako. Doon na ako umiyak talaga. Na para akong bata, na napahagulgol ako nang hagulgol. Sabi ko, ‘Sorry po’, sorry sa lahat, patawarin mo ako’. Pati si Daddy umiyak na rin. Naghagulgulan na kami,” Keempee recounted, visibly emotional.
Keempee admitted that the reunion was a significant turning point in their relationship and described it as a moment of peace and joy.
“Naiyak talaga ako noong sinabi niya, na ‘hindi ko nga alam kung nasaan ka, kumusta ka, kung ano ba ang kinakain mo, kung ano na nangyayari sa iyo, ano ang pakiramdam mo’? May edad na si Daddy. Maikli lang ang buhay. Masaya lang ako na…naiiyak ako, kasi masaya na… Sorry… Pero naging okey kami. Pero kailangan ko pa rin, kahit papaano, kailangan kong bumawi,” he said.
The heartwarming reunion moved fans who have followed their relationship over the years, with many expressing their joy over the father and son rekindling their bond.
Keempee concluded that the experience taught him the importance of forgiveness and family, adding that he is determined to make up for the lost time and to cherish every moment moving forward.
‘Prinsesa ng City Jail’ serves as Keempee’s comeback to GMA Network after 7 years. Catch ‘Prinsesa ng City Jail’ from Mondays to Fridays at 3:20 p.m. on GMA Afternoon Prime. Global Pinoys can also watch the program via GMA Pinoy TV.
