Cristine: “Rest in peace, Daddy Metreng.”

Cristine Reyes takes to Instagram to mourn and pay tribute to her late adoptive father, Demetrio Pascual: “Ikaw ang tunay naming kayamanan.”
PHOTO/S: Cristine Reyes (Instagram)

Cristine Reyes is in mourning following the passing of her adoptive father, Demetrio Pascual.

The actress announced the heartbreaking news on Instagram, posting a touching video titled “Life with Daddy Metreng,” which captured moments from her last visit to Demetrio and their family home.

In the caption, Cristine wrote (published as is)” “Ang ating huling salo-salo sa ating munting tahanan na punong-puno ng masasayang alaala. Ang iyong huling ngiti at halakhak dito ang palagi kong aalalahanin, daddy.

“Sorry kung hindi ko na kinaya makita ka sa ospital. Pinagsisisihan ko na hindi kita nahagkan sa iyong huling hininga.”

In her farewell message, Cristine thanked her Daddy Metreng for looking after her when she was growing up.

“Bagkos ako’y lubos at taos-pusong nagpa-pasalamat sa pag-busog mo sa akin, sa amin ng pagmamahal, pag-gabay at pag-aruga,” remarked Cristine.

“Napaka-swerte namin lahat sa’yo sa lahat ng binigay mo na walang katumbas na halaga.”

CRISTINE REYES’S COMPLICATED CHILDHOOD

In a 2024 interview with broadcast journalist Karen Davila, Cristine said that she was adopted when she was a child.

Her mother Venus Imperial had to leave for the U.S.

She is also known as Francis Marie Klenk, the mom of Ara Mina.

Cristine said: “My mom, she was going through a phase in her life where she had to go to the States, leave all her kids, all of us, to somebody else.

“Ako lang nahiwalay, I didn’t know mga kapatid ko.

Cristine learned she was adopted when she was six years old.

Her real mom returned to the country and took Cristine with her.

In a 2021 interview for the podcast show Eight Billion Project, the VIVA actress recounted, “So they sat me down, my Daddy Metreng said… actually, it’s not him, i’s his wife Mommy Shirley.

“They told me, ‘You’re not our real child.’ I was shocked. I don’t even remember if i said something. I think I was in a state shock.

“They said, ‘Your real mom is on the way here.’

“The next thing I remember, there’s a lady entering the house.

“I remember my mom pulling me out. I was holding my Daddy Metreng tightly. In my head, ‘Don’t let me go! Don’t let me go!’ I was crying.”

Leaving behind her “loving” adoptive family had a profound impact on Cristine’s emotional and mental well-being.

“When my mom got me, hindi ako nagsasalita when I was a child. Hindi naman ako yung hindi makasalita, but I shut down when she got me,” said Cristine.

“It was years, not just months, years na hindi ako nagsasalita noong bata ako.

“Nagsasalita na lang ako kapag nasa school ako, pag babalik ako ng bahay, quiet ulit ako, di ako nagsasalita.

“Kapag kakausapin ako ng mga tao sa bahay, magna-nod lang ako.”

Even after moving out, Cristine maintained close ties with her adoptive family.

“My adopted family was very supportive naman so they go [to school events] if my mom wouldn’t make it,” explained Cristine.

“Showbiz naman, when I entered the business, ako lang yung walang bantay, but sometimes naman, my [adoptive] family would go.”

Regarding Cristine’s biological father, Romeo Reyes, she told Karen that she made peace with him before he passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“He’s from Tawi-Tawi, he’s a Muslim. He passed already.

“I went to Zamboanga because he’s dying, then, he died.”

Added Cristine, “Malaki ang impact noon sa akin because he did not ask anything from me when you know I could have helped him.

“The fact na hindi siya humingi ng tulong sa akin, mas masakit because I remember the last time I spoke to him, that was pandemic time, and I was very angry pa that time.

“Sabi ko sa kanya, ‘Bakit ngayon ka lang nagpakita sa akin? All my life I needed you.’”

She continued: “It was so timely, when I did that—day in, day out ako sa Zamboanga.

“I left. Pag-land ng Manila, I received the message, wala na raw.

“So parang nagpaalam lang talaga ako. Malaki ang impact noon sa akin all my life.

“I’m 35, that was two years ago. Ngayon ko lang siya nasasarado, and I appreciate everybody who were there for me.”