Boyet’s legacy to his children

If you ask multi-awarded actor and television personality Christopher "Boyet" de Leon what drives him to continue improving his craft, he’ll tell you in a heartbeat that it’s his children.

Like any other father, Christopher is greatly concerned about the quality of life his children will lead. His goal is to give them a rock-solid foundation for the future–a life that they can be proud of long after the deafening applause for their famous dad has died down.

"You could be here today and gone tomorrow," he says in spite his stature as one of the country’s most sought after leading men, dramatic actors and television hosts.

That’s why Christopher and his equally-talented wife, fellow actor Sandy Andolong, are working hard for the future of their five children. Blessed with three sons and two daughters, the couple envisions not just stable professional careers for them, but jobs that will showcase their individuality, hone their talents and skills and make them proud of who they are.

"We want our children to realize their personal dreams. Whatever field or endeavor they want to get into, we will support them – even if it means going abroad to study or eventually settling down there," Christopher says, noting that his eldest son Rafael, has already expressed plans of being a cartoonist or animator like the famous Walt Disney.

He admits that it was his son’s childhood dream that drove him to pursue his much-publicized American citizenship case in 1999.

At that time, Christopher approached top immigration lawyer Michael Gurfinkel to ask about the possibility of obtaining for him a US green card as an "alien of extraordinary ability" like that of fellow FAMAS awardee Gina Alajar. But Gurfinkel, known for looking at every possible angle of each case, declared that Christopher had a fighting chance of obtaining an actual US citizenship because his maternal grandfather, Abe Strauss, was a naturalized American.

Several months later, an excited Christopher made an overseas call to his US-based mother, Lilia Dizon, announcing that he had just walked out of the US Embassy in Manila with a blue passport. The actor was granted instant US citizenship, meaning, he is a US citizen by birth. He did not need to be petitioned, apply for naturalization, or answer any questions about US history.

But that’s not where the story ends.

A firm believer in divine intervention, Christopher says his meeting Gurfinkel and acquiring American citizenship happened for a reason. He shares that this was God’s way of throwing the windows of opportunity wide open for his children, should they wish to go to America.

He then asked Gurfinkel to work on Rafael’s case next. Being the eldest, Rafael was very excited about going to the US. Sure, he and his siblings had been there before as tourists, but pursuing higher education in New York had always been Rafael’s dream–one that the De Leon family has supported all these years.

As difficult as the case was due to the fact that Christopher never actually lived in the US, Gurfinkel did not easily give up. The top immigration lawyer resorted to a little-known law allowing acquisition of citizenship through a grandparent. Based on this provision, Gurfinkel argued that Rafael’s grandmother, Lilia Dizon, who was also a US citizen by birth, met the residency requirement. Thus, Rafael was also entitled to instant US citizenship.

Barely a week before his 18th birthday, Rafael Sandino de Leon emerged from the INS office in Los Angeles with a Certificate of Citizenship. Escorted by Christopher, Rafael basked in having reclaimed his birthright–American citizenship.

That was in January 2001. On May 22, 2003 Michael Gurfinkel did what others thought was unthinkable. Christopher’s remaining four younger children all received their American passports. Yes, in one sweep, Juan Carlos Miguel, 17; Augusto Gabriel, 13; Maria Angelica, 10; and Maria Michaela, six, also became "instant" US citizens. They never had to be petitioned, they never had to wait for many years.

Christopher never knew that his greatest legacy to his children will be his American bloodline. Apart from the name, the talent, and the popularity, their blue passports will be something that all five of them will carry throughout their lives–and even possibly pass on to their own children.

Their passports are a testament of Christopher’s love for them and how hard he works for their dreams to come true.