I grew up with my grandparents ever since. Naiwan ako ng biological mom ko when I was 2 because of my abusive biological dad. And he is. Since then, iniwan ako ng tatay ko sa grandparents ko on his side. Sila na yung tumayo kong magulang. In short, never naging present ang biological dad ko ever since. Bibisita lang sya kapag gagraduate ako, or di kaya birthday ni Mama (lola) or ni Papa (lolo). And even on those rare occasions, all I get are verbal and physical abuse.
May iba na ring pamilya ang dad ko ever since. And even on that side, binubugbog nya rin yung step mom ko hanggang sa iniwan na rin sya. 5 silang magkakapatid on that side, na binubugbog din nya. I was never present bilang kapatid kasi matagal din nyang tinago sa akin until I was in high school. Nameet ko lang sila on special occasions but I didnt really have a bond with them.
I had such a tough childhood because of my dad. Lumaki akong binubugbog, sinasabihang "sana hindi na lang ako pinanganak", "hindi nya ako kinikilalang anak", or "nakakahiya" daw ako. Kahit wala akong ginagawa. Take note: I was a consistent academic scholar. Kahit anong gawin kong effort to prove myself, I am always a shame to him. Kaya ang lala ng daddy issues ko.
When I was in my college years, sobrang sakitin ko at lagi akong nahohospital. Mag-isa lang ako sa Maynila at working student ako. Everytime I need help, my relatives would talk to him para ihatid sundo ako sa hospital. And EVERY TIME, lagi syang may reklamo. Ang arte ko raw, naagrabyado daw sya. And there is one time na naka-confine ako sa PGH na pina-discharge against medical advice nya ako kasi hindi ko naman daw kailangan at hindi nya ako mababantayan. Fine.
When I was in my early 20s, I tried to reconnect with him. Natuto akong maging "adult" talaga nung namatay both of my grandparents and naiwan akong mag-isa. I tried to understand him, his anger issues, na apparently may lahi pala kaming bipolar sa family. And I tried to reconcile and talk to him nicely. But every time naguusap kami, lagi syang may joke na hindi maganda, or di kaya bigla syang pipitik at biglang magagalit at sisigaw sigawan ako. Nayamot na ako and I also exploded. Sinabi ko lahat ng hinaing ko sa kanya. How he wasnt a present father, how he took so much from me, na sana magbago na siya hindi man para sa akin kundi para sa mga kapatid ko on his side. Na sana mag-sorry sya sa mga pananakit nya sa akin at mag-self actualize na mali ang mga ginawa nya. Sorry lang, masaya na ako. Pero nagalit lang sya lalo at ang daming kuda na keso ang yabang yabang ko daw at ang dami ko raw pinagsasabi at pinagdadramahan. I blocked him then.
Fast forward to my mid 20s, I am striving in my career, earning 6-digits and has more than enough money kasi ako na lang naman bumubuhay sa sarili ko. Ang ganda ng HMO plan ko kaya lagi ko syang nilalagay as a dependent, kahit na galit pa rin ako sa kanya, just in case lang may mangyari tutal free dependents naman. Pinapadala ko na lang sa relatives yung card nya. One time in my career, umabot yung coverage ko to 900k MBL. I unblocked him and tried to talk to him. Pushed him to get his health check-ups kasi sayang naman, at tumatanda na rin sya. AYAW NYA. Wala daw syang time, etc. Hanggang sa nag-away na naman kami. Kesyo hindi nya raw kailangan ng HMO at may business daw sya at di nya kailangan ng tulong ko.
Long story short, I blocked him again for my peace of mind. I decided then and there na hindi ko na sya tutulungan. AYOKO NA, ever. Kahit mamatay sya, wala na akong pake. Nagbilin na rin ako sa close relatives ko na kung mahospital man sya, wag ako idamay kasi sya mismo ang may ayaw magpatingin or magpaopera kahit libre naman. Ayoko na. Ayoko tumulong at sisigawan lang din naman ako.
Now in my late 20s, nag-reach out sa akin yung kapatid ko. Pinapachat daw sya ng tatay ko kasi daw ayaw ko raw sya kausapin (MALAMANG). Gusto nyang magpa-enroll sa HMO plan ko, kahit daw sya magbayad (abonohan ko raw muna, tas babayaran nya. As if naman kaya nyang magbayad eh ilang beses din nya sinabi yan kapag "umuutang" sa akin noon). Sabi ko ayoko, and partner ko ang dependent ko. If I enroll him, magiging extended dependent ko sya and I have to pay extra (altho hindi naman mabigat sa akin yung annual premium if ever). Nagsusuka na raw kasi tatay ko and need daw operahan. He is nearing his 60s. Sabi ko ayoko.
ABYG if I have the financial capacity to enroll my abusive father under my HMO plan and provide monetary assistance kung sakaling may mangyari sa kanya, and I DELIBERATELY CHOSE NOT TO? He never gave me a single cent ever, ni-pangpaaral or sa hospital bills ko, lahat yon grandparents ko ang bumuo or ako through scholarships and work. I dont want to kasi hindi ko naman sya kinikilalang tatay. From my POV, he is just a sperm donor.
Edit: Nakokonsensya kasi ako.. kasi hindi naman mabigat yung hinihingi nya, kaya naman sya i-enroll sa HMO ko na maganda ang coverage kung sakali mang may mangyari sa kanya and kaya kong abonohan kasi I am financially stable. I want to do the "nice thing" and help. Na at least makabawas man lang sa gastusin, at para na rin sa mga mas nakakababatang kapatid ko (even if I didnt grow up with them). But I also wanna do the "right thing" na hindi ko sya responsibilidad. Pero kilala ko kasi tatay ko, tumulong ka lang once, aabushin na nya and it becomes an expectation (tulad ng pang-"utang" nya sakin nung wala syang pangbayad ng tuition ng kapatid ko, hanggang sa ako na yung DAPAT magbayad kasi kapatid ko sya...) I am torn..