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‘Ako’y panalo na’: Tears flow as Tawag finalist, husband reunite after 47 years

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Miguel Dumaual, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/entertainment/09/24/20190924-violeta-bayawa.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>A month after performing songs about longing, Tawag ng Tanghalan finalist Violeta Bayawa is reunited with her husband, Zacharias, after 47 years. <em>ABS-CBN/It’s Showtime</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — In the months leading up to the grand finals of Tawag ng Tanghalan, contender Violeta Bayawa drew from her experience of being abandoned by her one great love, to deliver heartfelt performances.</p><p>In singing tunes about longing like “Unchained Melody,” “Kailangan Kita,” and “Saan Ka Man Naroroon,” the 70-year-old Violeta would have one person in mind — her “Ga,” or husband Zacharias Bayawa.</p><p>Zacharias left for the United States 47 years ago, when Violeta was three months pregnant with their daughter, Jennifer, according to the singer in past interviews.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DLwKtgu89UY?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>They had agreed that Violeta would follow, once Zacharias secured a legal and permanent stay in the US. But their communication suddenly stopped, with Violeta belatedly confirming with her husband’s relatives based here, that Zacharias was already married to someone else.</p><p>“Noong umpisa, hindi ko matanggap na ganoon ang nangyari, kasi unang-una pinangakuan niya ako na kukunin niya ako, tapos hindi pala,” Violeta said in a “Magandang Buhay” interview aired early this month.</p><p>“Wala na akong magagawa, kaya tanggap ko na rin na ganoon ang suwerte ng pag-aasawa naming dalawa. Kaya namuhay na lang ako mag-isa, kasama ang aking anak,” she said.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BN4SN8qJGNU?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Through Violeta’s televised bid in Tawag ng Tanghalan, Zacharias found a way to reach her again. He had been back in the Philippines as early as 2012, a year after his second wife died in the US.</p><p>Returning to the “It’s Showtime” stage on Tuesday as a grand finalist, Violeta had just recently reunited with Zacharias, an emotional pre-performance reel showed.</p><p>Both she and Jennifer were surprised with the arrival of Zacharias, with Violeta introducing the father and daughter for the first time.</p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/TNTABSCBN/videos/367102620840753" data-width="auto"> </div><p>“Iniwan mo ako, Pa,” Jennifer told her father as she finally got to hug him — the fulfillment of a lifelong wish.</p><p>“Kahit kailan po, hindi ako nagalit sa papa ko. Longing talaga ako, gusto ko lang siya ma-hug. Kahit iyon lang, makilala ko lang siya, sapat na,” Jennifer had said in a past episode of “It’s Showtime.”</p><p>On Tuesday, Zacharias and Jennifer sat together in the audience as they cheered for Violeta, who now wore a different smile than in her previous appearances, host Anne Curtis noticed.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1383248" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>“Nahiwalay siya sa akin for such a long time,” Zacharias said after Violeta’s performance. “Sumulat ako sa kaniya ng liham, papunta rito. Tumulo ang aking luha, dahil sa na-mi-miss ko ang panahon na kami’y nagsama.”</p><p>“Malayong-malayo, pero nandito na ako, Ga,” he told his wife.</p><p>Zacharias added that if it were not for Tawag ng Tanghalan, “Hindi ko mami-meet itong aking pamilya na iniwanan ko for such a long time, for 47 years.”</p><p>Violeta agreed: “Kung hindi po sa Tawag ng Tanghalan, hindi po kami nagkita. Salamat sa Diyos! Ngayon ay nadarama ko na po, na ako’y panalo.”</p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/TNTABSCBN/posts/2409621609357262" data-width="auto"> </div><p>While Violeta already feels like a winner, she still has a chance to realize her original goal of clinching the grand champion title, after securing a spot in the top 10.</p><p>By the end of the Tawag ng Tanghalan episode on Tuesday, two finalists were eliminated, while two jumped to the Saturday finale where six contenders will face off.</p><p>Ranillo Enriquez and Charizze Arnigo were eliminated. Kim Nemenzo and Elaine Duran, meanwhile, got the two highest combined scores from judges and public votes, to get a slot each in the top six.</p>

‘Ako’y panalo na’: Tears flow as Tawag finalist, husband reunite after 47 years

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‘Ako’y panalo na’: Tears flow as Tawag finalist, husband reunite after 47 years

Miguel Dumaual,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 24, 2019 07:08 PM PHT

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Updated September 24, 2019 08:27 PM PHT

Read More:

It's Showtime

Tawag ng Tanghalan

Violeta Bayawa

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