Jonas Gaffud gives emotional tribute to his father

In a moving tribute, pageant guru Jonas Antonio Gaffud, creative director of Miss Universe Philippines, offered a salute to his father whose covered body was being carried out of the hospital on a stretcher on the way to a vehicle.

Gaffud gave the salute to his dad in a video he uploaded on Facebook, April 20. His father passed away on April 19.

"He was a soldier. He was a farmer. He served his family, he served his country. In this time of pandemic, there is no 21 gun salute for a Retired Soldier. But if he were younger, he would have been a Frontliner. I know, that my salute is the best gift I can honor him with. I was hesitant to go to the hospital because of Covid 19. But in this time of chaos and loss, there is nothing braver than to bury a loved one. I love you forever Dad," said Gaffud on his video caption.

Gaffud, whose team groomed some of the country's successful beauty queens, including 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, earlier said that there would be no wake or whatsoever for his beloved father. "So in memory of Dad, call or send a message to your parents and tell them you love them 😘🌹

"My Dad died today (April 19) at 3:09 PM. I would like to thank the Doctors, Nurses and staff at The Veterans Memorial Hospital, huge thanks to all the blood donors. We will donate those bags to the hospital. Thank you to all my friends and my co-workers who stayed with me in arranging everything. Thank you to all my talents and friends who posted and asked for blood donors. Thank you to people who do not know but saw our messages of hope and went to the hospital;

"When I grew up, I thought I never had a good relationship with my Dad. I hated him when I was young. He was a strict military father. I thought he was a burden. But as I grew older, I learned to appreciate him, his sacrifices and he tells me all the time how much he loves me and misses me;

"Now I know he is a BLESSING. From the movie Love Wedding Repeat:

"Have you ever thought about how small the chances are, that you would be born? If just one thing in history had changed, just one of your millions of ancestors hadn’t crossed paths at the exact moment they did, then you wouldn’t exist? You’d never have even lived a single day;

"Thank you Dad for the gift of LIFE;

"I promise to take care of your Queen, my Mom your one and only love. Johnny Francisca Gaffud . ❤️

"There is no wake or whatever. So in memory of Dad, call or send a message to your parents and tell them you love them 😘🌹" - Robert R. Requintina/Images courtesy of Jonas Antonio Gaffud Facebook.