Jona Viray talked candidly about her connection with her mother, Arlene, who abandoned them when she was 10 years old.
Jona disclosed that she and her mother are currently working toward reconciliation in an interview with Karen Davila for her most recent YouTube vlog.
“Ngayon po masasabi ko po na open na po ‘yung puso ko for reconciliation kasi last year naimbitahan ko na rin po siya sa Mother’s Day dito po mismo sa Tanay (her farm house). Naka-pag celebrate po kami ng Mother’s Day, kasama rin po ng birthday ng kapatid ko, in the same month,” she said.
The singer added that last year, she spent the holidays with her mother. “Nung Christmas time naman po last year, naimbitahan ko rin po sila dito kasama po ng aking half-brother. ‘Yun po unti-unti pong nagkakaroon talaga ng reconciliation,” she explained.
Jona said that she didn’t want to think about the past when asked if she had ever questioned her mother why she had left. “Hindi ko na po natanong. Parang okay na po ako sa idea na basta nagiging maayos na po ‘yung relationship namin ngayon, nagkakasama na po kami. Okay na po ako sa sitwasyon na ganun,” she said.
But one day, she said, she might have the guts to ask. “Hindi ko po masasabi na in the future baka magkaroon pa ako ng lakas ng loob na matanong, kapag hindi na po masyadong bumubuhos ‘yung matinding emosyon, di po ba? Matanong ko rin po na, ‘Bakit?'” she said.
Jona acknowledged that forgiving her mother was a difficult task. “Hindi naman din po talaga naging madali ‘yung process, ‘yung healing journey, sa kabila po ng lahat ng hindi magagandang nangyari and talagang malalim po ‘yung sugat na naiwan,” she confessed.
Nevertheless, Jona claimed that time and her wish for family harmony aided in her recovery. “But as the years passed by, nasa puso ko po ‘yung longing talaga na sana mabuo pa kami. Hindi man kami magsama-sama sa iisang bubong, but mabuo kami in a sense na harmounious po ‘yung relationship naming magpa-pamilya along with our all siblings, even mga half-sisters, half-brothers kasi gustong-gusto ko po ‘yung idea ng buong pamilya,” she continued.
