Pinay racing against time to find her father in UAE


Fear drove Mylene Rapada's mother Nora from introducing her to her estranged father, an Emirati named Madinat Zayed.

But last year, upon reaching the age of 21, Mylene finally got her mother's approval to go searching for her father — and that search continues up to this day.

“My dream is to find my father, become an Emirati citizen and bring my mother from the USA and my daughter from the Philippines to live with me here in the UAE,” Mylene told The National on Wednesday.

She's racing against time, though: her visitor's visa, which legitimizes her stay in the United Arab Emirates, is set to expire next month.

But even if Mylene finally finds her dad, the Sharia law may make it difficult for her to make her dream come true. Under the law, she will not be recognized as her father’s daughter because her parents were never married.

Mylene's mother Nora had her less than a year after being employed by Zayed's family. While Zayed asked Nora to marry him, she said she "was young and scared and didn't know what to do," the National reported.

Nora decided to have her child in the Philippines. She said she severed contact with Zayed after he asked to see his child. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

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