The Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Annual Awards Night last Monday at the Centennial Hall of the Manila Hotel didn’t just gather the country’s brightest sports stars to celebrate their most successful participation in the Summer Games. It also witnessed how brothers Carlos and Eldrew Yulo appeared to have buried the hatchet following a bitter and controversial family feud that rocked Philippine sports to its very foundation shortly after the Paris Olympics last year.

The presence of the Yulo brothers lit up the blue-ribbon event put up by the country’s oldest media organization for achievers of the past year. The 16-year-old Eldrew was the first to show up, looking dapper in a black coat over a white, tie-less polo. He was there to receive a special citation in recognition of his victorious performances in various international junior competitions last year.

Then, the star of the show — Carlos, the 2024 PSA Athlete of the Year — arrived. The packed ballroom froze as the elder Yulo walked in with his girlfriend, Chloe San Jose, by his side. He smiled, nodded, and waved before a huge crowd of sportswriters, photographers and guests like a victorious hero returning from a grueling battle.

He looked at peace, far removed from the aura he had during the darkest moment of his life when he was at odds with his Japanese coach, Munehiro Kugimiya, and his family, especially his mother, Angelica, whom he branded as a “thief” at the height of their messy dispute.

Despite the spotlight being trained on him, with young sportswriters acting like giggling schoolgirls asking for selfies, Carlos’ eyes were still wandering, scanning the room for the person he vowed to love and protect when he was still a young, struggling dreamer in the poor district of Leveriza in Manila. No luck.

Carlos was politely excused from granting photo-ops and interviews. He was ushered to his seat in the front row, an ultra-exclusive spot reserved for ranking sports officials, top patrons, lawmakers, and other guests who made significant achievements in 2024.

On his way to his seat, Carlos finally spotted Eldrew flashing a smile. He smiled back, and in one magical moment, all the hatred, bitterness, tears and sorrow that had been thrown their way during their much-publicized dispute finally vanished. Blood is truly thicker than water.

In an interview later that night, Eldrew admitted that their lines of communication are now open. Sure, the wounds created by discord have yet to fully heal, but at least they are now talking, exchanging notes and swapping personal stories in between tumblings, rolls and hops while working out at their training facility at the MVP Sports Foundation Gym in Intramuros.

Eldrew expressed happiness over the end of their cold war, saying that his ultimate idol is now giving him advice on how to become an elite gymnast by the time the Los Angeles Olympics roll around in 2028. On the other hand, Carlos had nothing but praise for Eldrew, stressing that the future is bright for his young brother.

At one point, Eldrew was seen reaching out and talking to San Jose, proving that there’s no more animosity between him and the love of his brother’s life.

Before the night ended, as Eldrew was granting one last interview, Carlos walked in and hugged him loosely. In a friendly tone, he asked if he would ride with them on the way home.

Eldrew answered in the affirmative. There was no hatred, bitterness, or sorrow — just pure love and concern. It was a happy ending to a bitter dispute that once divided the nation.

The story of the Yulo family is also the story of every Filipino. Even if you’ve been living together under one roof for more than two or three decades, there’s really no guarantee that the relationship will always be smooth. There will always be rough patches along the way that will put your love and respect for each other to the ultimate test.

But it doesn’t matter.

At the end of the day, what matters is the ability to love, forgive, heal and move on — just like a true Filipino family should. Blood should always be thicker than water.