Venice Bektas recently reconnected with her estranged father, Yilmaz Bektas.
In an interview with Ogie Diaz on his YouTube channel, Ruffa Gutierrez revealed the emotional reunion between her youngest daughter and her ex-husband happened over the Holy Week, while she and Venice were in Boracay.
The mother of two recalled, "The sister of Yilmaz reached out to me and said, 'Yilmaz had a dream about Venice. Is she okay?'"
Her father was worried.
Venice then told Ruffa, "Give Bubba [Yilmaz] my number, Mommy. I’m old enough.”
Ruffa admitted in the interview that her daughters had not had communication with Yilmaz "for the longest time."
The actress said, "Wala silang communication... Kasi dati, hindi ko binigay number, e. Lahat through me kasi mga bata pa sila noon."
The father and daughter's reunion over the phone was emotional.
She continued, "Binigay ko number ni Venice, nag-usap sila mag-ama. Siyempre iyakan.
"I think nandiyan pa rin yung pain talaga ng mga bata that they grew up without a dad... I think that’s in their heart, yung pain na feeling nila in-abandon sila ng tatay nila."
Hopefully, in the future, her daughters would meet their father in person.
"I hope one day magkita sila, magkausap sila, and he can be a father to the kids."
Read: Get to know Ruffa Gutierrez's youngest daughter Venice Bektas
LORIN ON THEIR FATHER YILMAZ
In 2019, Ruffa's eldest daughter Lorin Gutierrez also spoke about her relationship with her father in her YouTube channel.
Lorin was asked if she still spoke with her dad, and she answered, "There are a lot of questions about my dad, so I just thought to address it now. To address all of the questions since a lot of people are confused about it.
"I talk to my dad and there's never been a time where our communication has been stopped."
Lorin added that she has her father's contact details: "I have his number, I have his WhatsApp. We call, we text.
"There's a common misconception that we don't have any communication, which is not true.
"Not once has my mom ever tried to stop me from talking to him or getting to know him and reaching out.
"Yeah, me and Venice have a really good relationship with our dad."
In the same vlog, Lorin acknowledged that their setup wasn't conventional, but it had been "good."
She continued: "It's not the textbook relationship of a daughter and a dad, and I'm sure a lot of people from the outside looking in would say it's not perfect, it's not a good relationship.
"But for me, under the circumstances that I've been given, I think it's a pretty good relationship with my dad.
"So, yes, I still talk to my dad."
READ: Lorin Gutierrez affirms good relationship with dad Yilmaz Bektas
Lorin is currently a college freshman at the Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.
Venice is turning 18 in September.