MANILA – Julia Montes is not one who harbors ill feelings towards her biological father even if he left her with her mother at an early age.

Montes, born Mara Schnittka, shared that her German father Martin Schnittka kept on apologizing to her when they finally met last December.

“Nag-sorry siya. Nagkuwentuhan kami kung ano 'yung nangyari before, kung bakit hindi siya nakabalik. Nalaman niya kung paano 'yung naging buhay ko from bata ako hanggang sa paglaki. Nag-sorry lang siya ng nag-sorry habang umiiyak siya. Hindi na ako nakapagsalita,” she said.

Montes believes she wouldn’t be who she is today if things did not happen the way it did.

“Sabi ko lang sa kanya, ’Hindi ako galit, papa. Super thankful ako kung ano 'yung nangyari sa atin. Sobrang blessed lang natin na nagkaroon tayo ng chance na magkita ulit. Kung ano po ako ngayon, dahil rin po iyon sa iyo,’” she said.

Following their first meeting, Montes is hoping to reunite with her father and siblings soon in Germany.

“Pero sila papa, may plano sila dapat nung birthday ko kaya lang hindi pinayagan si papa sa work. Hopefully, baka daw po sa June kapag bakasyon ni David (her brother),” she said.

In previous interviews, Montes said her life would be "complete" if she could only meet her biological dad. She was raised by her deaf Filipina mother with the help of her grandmother.