Regine Velasquez finds ‘great gift’ in old photo with late father Mang Gerry

Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez remembered her late father, Gerardo “Mang Gerry” Velasquez, on what would have been his 89th birthday. 

In an Instagram post on October 16, Regine shared a photo of herself smiling beside her father. 

She recalled coming across the photo unexpectedly and initially mistaking the person beside her for her son, Nate, because of their resemblance. 

“Nakita ko ‘tong picture na ‘to isang araw. It was in a table, and it was far away from me. I was talking to someone I can’t remember who I think we had some people at [that] time in our house,” she began. 

Upon looking at it more closely, Regine realized that the photo was of her and Mang Gerry. Her son, Nate, was still very young when her father passed away in 2014. 

“I kept looking at the picture and it really looked like Nate and Mang Gery. He passed when Nate was almost 1 pa lang or 2 ba? Can’t even remember. Baby pa so how can he have a picture with his lolo at this age 😂” 

Despite knowing that Nate never had the chance to grow up alongside his grandfather, Regine said it was a “great gift” to see a glimpse of what they could have looked like.  

“But it would have been nice to see this sa totoong buhay 😊 Thank you Lord for showing me what could have been, it was a great gift.” 

As she greeted her father on his birthday this October 16, Regine also revealed that he would have a reserved seat at her upcoming FINALE concert, scheduled for October 17 to 19 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. 

“Happy Birthday Papa, meron ka upuan sa MOA❤️,” she ended. 

Mang Gerry was one of Regine’s biggest supporters and served as her first vocal coach when she was still a child. In an interview with Karen Davila, the singer also reflected on what her father might have said about her decision to stage her final major concert that also celebrates her 40 years in the industry.  

“He’d probably say, ‘Weh?’” she said with a laugh. “No, but he’d probably say, ‘It’s about time.’ He’d probably say, ‘Yeah, okay na ‘yan. It’s been 40 years, siguro pahinga ka na.’” 

Regine also admitted that she continues to miss her father, remembering how he never missed any of her performances while he was alive. 

“Yes. Of course. Ever since I started, there’s not a concert that he didn’t attend, there’s not a gig that he wasn’t there. He is that supportive. He’s always there,” she said. 

Aside from her FINALE concert, Regine is set to release her newest album, Golden Hours, featuring 16 new tracks. Only physical copies of the album will be available in CD, cassette, and vinyl formats, with limited copies to be sold during the concert on October 17 to 19.