MANILA -- She once said that the day she finally meets her father for the first time would be the "happiest" day of her life.

Gazini Ganados, who represented the Philippines in the 2019 Miss Universe pageant, has been open in saying that part of the reason she decided to become a beauty queen was so that she could travel and possibly visit her dad in Palestine.

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SURREAL. Ever since I was a little girl, i have always heard the stories of how my mom and dad first met. The year was 1990. Venue, Shakey's Pizza Parlor. Now here I am, 30years later.. The Year 2020. Shakey's. Having my very first dinner date with my DAD! What a way to start my year! ☝🏻🙏🏻🥰

A post shared by Gazini C. J. Ganados (@gazinii) on Jan 24, 2020 at 5:17am PST

As it turns out, she didn't need to go there after all as she shared on Instagram this Friday that her father has flown into the country himself.

"SURREAL," she wrote as the caption to the photo of her date with her dad. "What a way to start my year!"

Ganados shared that they decided to eat at the same place her dad met her mother for the first time.

Ganados, who grew up with her grandparents in Cebu, finished in the Top 20 of Miss Universe 2019, which was won by South Africa. She also won the national costume award.

She revealed in her past interviews that the first thing she'll do when she sees her father is to give him a hug.