After years of silence and distance, actor-senator Robin Padilla has finally opened up about reconciling with his sibling, BB Gandanghari — a moment filled with warmth, acceptance, and long-overdue healing.
In an emotional episode of Fast Talk with Boy Abunda on Tuesday, Robin admitted that it took him a long time to fully accept his sister back into his life after she came out as a transgender woman.
“Na-miss ko siya eh,” Robin confessed softly. “Noong nag-out siya, hindi na kami nag-usap.”
The years apart were difficult, but the moment they reconnected, Robin realized something was missing all along.
“’Yun pala ‘yung nami-miss ko sa buhay ko — ‘yung relationship ko sa kaniya,” he shared, visibly emotional.
The Padilla siblings have had a complicated relationship over the years, especially after BB — formerly known as Rustom Padilla — publicly came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community during Pinoy Big Brother in 2006. Three years later, she revealed that she is a transgender woman.
But time has a way of healing wounds.
BB, now proudly living her truth, shared earlier this year that Robin has fully embraced her identity.
“Kapag nasa pila kami, ladies first,” BB recalled. “Nagpunta kami sa mosque sa Taiwan, naka-hijab ako, pumasok ako bilang babae — and he recognized all of it.”
Her words reflected not just respect, but genuine acceptance from her once-distant brother.
Beyond family reconciliation, BB has continued to shine in her personal journey. Just this July, she graduated summa cum laude from the Los Angeles Film School, earning a degree in Entertainment Business — a milestone that proves it’s never too late to live authentically and achieve greatness.
Today, Robin and BB’s story stands as a beautiful reminder that love — no matter how strained or delayed — has the power to heal, transform, and bring people home again.
