Pinoy's 'dad-son' bond with younger coworker spreads positivity online

Separated from his son serving in the military, Joenar Alaysa wanted a workplace companion he could bond with and treat like family.

Alaysa is a Filipino US-based construction worker, the line of work where he met his coworker and friend, Cross Thompson.

“Cross is the same age as my son, so my son is in the military for four years already, and I'm missing a lot of him,” Alaysa said in a GMA Pinoy TV's Sparks of Joy interview.

“So I put my attention to Cross and all kinds of advice and experience while my son is gone,” he added.

Alaysa has been in the U.S. for 35 years. He currently lives in Florida with his family, including his wife and daughter.

Back in the Philippines, Alaysa hails from San Narciso, Zambales, which he last visited almost two decades ago.

“The last time I visited over there was 2007. It was fun, and I miss it a lot. I wish I could go back over there with my family,” he shared.

Dad-son dynamic

Despite their age difference, Alaysa and Thompson show that age is just a number when it comes to enjoying work together.

As the younger coworker, Thompson loved creating videos and eventually began featuring Alaysa, leading the pair to post more content together—from dance trends to POV clips.

“I met Cross from a job site. [The] first time I met him over there, he had a little accident. He cut himself in the window, and he got in a little surgery. Since then, we start going…to job,” Alaysa said.

“Cross came up with the ideas for all those videos because he likes to do stuff and he's been doing modeling. The dance is just to get your stress, you know, forget… getting tired. So you just pop up some moves,” he added.

Alaysa shared that the two of them usually bond while having their lunch break, break time, or even when picking up materials at stores.

“From the moment that I met Joenar, I thought that he was one of the funniest people that I've ever met,” Thompson shared.

According to him, what he admires most about Alaysa is his kindness and that trait of Filipino warmth—always sharing food they love with others.

“He's very kind. I don't know if it's a cultural thing with the Philippines, but he's always bringing me lunch, whether it's like lumpia or lechon or something like that… I really appreciate that, and I really admire that,” Thompson said.

Over time, his bond with Alaysa developed into a father-son dynamic. Thompson came to view Alaysa as a mentor at work who carries a lifetime of experience.

“Joenar is kind of like my work dad, is what I like to call him. He teaches me a lot, whether it's about life or it's something on the job site,” Thompson said.

“I mean, he's 50 years old, and he's lived in the Philippines, he's lived in California, he's lived here now in Florida, so he's full of experiences,” he added.

Alaysa found more than just a coworker in Thompson—he found a familiar warmth that softened the distance from his son while making workplace challenges easier to bear.—LDF, GMA News