Aiko Melendez honors late father Jimi ahead of wedding to Onemig Bondoc

Actress and politician Aiko Melendez is carrying the memory of her late father and actor, Jimi, into a new chapter of her life as she prepares to marry her fiancé, Onemig Bondoc. 

On November 1, the actress paid tribute to her father on what would have been his birthday, alongside a photo of Onemig proposing to Aiko beside his tomb. 

“On your birthday, Papa Jimmy, @uno_111 and I want to honor and remember you. ❤️,” she began. 

“There is never a time when you are not missed. There are so many moments in my life when I wish you were still here especially now, as I prepare to enter a new and beautiful chapter of my life. ❤️💚” 

Aiko, who announced her engagement in early October, shared that Onemig made sure that her father would be a part of their upcoming wedding in a “very special way.”  

“It means so much to me because although you may no longer be here for us to see, I know you will be with us in spirit, watching over me as I finally walk down the aisle,” she wrote. 

The actress also expressed her gratitude for finding a partner who treats her with the love and respect she believes her father had always wished for her. 

“Papa, I want you to know that I am finally in the arms of the kind of man you always prayed I would find,” Aiko maintained. “A man who respects me, protects my peace, accepts me for everything that I am, and loves me with all his heart. I wish you could have known him the way I do. I believe you would have been happy knowing that your daughter is finally loved the way a father would want his daughter to be loved.” 

Looking back on her past relationships and personal decisions, Aiko acknowledged that her journey had not always been easy. However, she said those experiences helped shape the person she is today. 

Despite the challenges she encountered, Aiko considers her children, Andrei and Marthena, among the “greatest blessings” in her life. She said raising them with humility, love, respect, and the values she learned from her father remains one of the most meaningful parts of her journey. 

She continued: “Maybe my journey wasn’t perfect, Papa, but every mistake taught me something and every season brought me closer to the woman I am today.” 

With her upcoming wedding to Onemig, Aiko said her “heart is at peace” with where life has brought her.  

“And now, as I prepare to marry Onemig, my heart is at peace. I wish you were physically here to witness it, to see your daughter happy, secure, and deeply loved. But somehow, I know you already know.”  

Aiko ended her message by reaffirming that her father’s memory will remain part of their life. 

“Happy birthday in heaven, Papa Jimmy. We miss you more than words can ever express. You will always have a place in my heart, in my children’s lives, and now, in one of the most important days of mine and Onemig’s life. 

I love you forever, Papa. Until we meet again. ❤️🙏,” she concluded. 

Onemig proposed to Aiko while they were visiting the tomb of her late father, making the moment a deeply personal one for the couple. 

Their engagement comes after they rekindled their romance decades after their story first began.  

In February, the two announced that they were officially together, 29 years after their paths first crossed, with Aiko referring to Onemig as her “soulmate.”