Jake Ejercito delivers heartrending eulogy for Jaclyn Jose: 'Ang daming sana'
Jake Ejercito delivered a heartrending eulogy for veteran actress Jaclyn Jose.
In a TikTok video shared by Jake's fan account, he remembered how Jaclyn would share a table with his mother, Laarni Enriquez, during “countless children's parties.”
"I don't remember interacting with her that much aside from the usual beso,” he said. “She was just that tita who appeared with a facial burn on TV, and that tita who had a daughter who looked like a doll and almost never spoke,” he added, referring to Jose’s daughter Andi Eigenmann, his ex.
“After many years of not seeing each other, her daughter and I would cross paths,” Ejercito continued. “That’s when I got to know her more and when she became Tita Jane to me.”
@jakeejercitofp #JakeEjercito’s eulogy for Ms #JaclynJose 🤍🕊️ #fyp ♬ original sound - jake ejercito fp
He described her as “indulgent,” “fun,” yet “koboy,” joining him and Andi during dates occasionally.
"She would always cook for me whenever I visited,” he said, “and we would bond over our love for Michael Jackson and interest in politics, much to Andi's annoyance."
Despite their closeness, he said he still felt the need to impress Jaclyn.
“Mas niligawan ko pa ata siya kaysa sa anak niya,” he said.
He noted how Jaclyn was the happiest upon learning Andi's pregnancy. Despite the pregnancy not being “smooth sailing,” he said Jaclyn being a grandmother to Ellie “seemed like the best thing that ever happened” to her.
Through his “highs and lows” with Andi, Jake said “Tita Jane never wavered,” even bringing them closer together.
“Siya ang kausap ko sa phone kapag may problema,” he said. “Siya ang kainuman ko kapag may mas malaking problems."
Jake recalled how Jaclyn would help him find ways to be with Ellie even when she was working.
“Kahit nasa taping pa siya, she would go out of her way para makasama ko si Ellie."
But when he and Andi broke up, he and Jaclyn eventually drifted apart. The constant calls and drinking sessions died a natural death.
His only communication with Jaclyn, he recalled, was “Hi,” “Hello,” and “Thank you” whenever he’d fetch or return Ellie.
“Tita, if you’re listening, salamat sa lahat-lahat and I’m sorry,” he said.
He then expressed regret over how things turned could have been.
"Ang daming sana,” he said. “Sana naibalik pa natin kung paano tayo dati. Sana nahingan kita ng advice sa trabaho natin. Sana nakaeksena man lang kita. Sana napadalas pa sa ’yo si Ellie. Sana kinumusta kita nung malungkot ka at nag-iisa."
Jake is hoping to make up to Jaclyn through his fatherly duties to Ellie.
"Huwag kang mag-alala dahil tinuruan mo ako at pinakita at pinaramdam mo sa akin kung paano maging mabuting magulang," Jake said. "Ellie would be okay, tita. Hindi ko siya pababayaan."
Jaclyn died due to a myocardial infarction or heart attack on March 2.
Jake and Andi welcomed Ellie in November 2011. She confirmed their breakup in September 2014 and has since been following a co-parenting setup with the actor.
