MANILA -- Her mind was a mix of panic and confusion as she was told that her long estranged son, Kobe Paras, whom she has not seen for at least 12 years, wanted to call her up.

But, as Jackie Forster tearfully recalled on "Magandang Buhay" on Thursday, she wasn't about to pass up this opportunity -- a moment she had only dreamed of happening for years.

"Gusto ko maging masaya pero iniisip ko, 'Ano kayang sasabihin niya sa akin?' Baka galit siya o may pinagdadaanan? Baka may nanloloko lang sa akin?'" the former actress shared.

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Despite her fears, she gave her number anyway. And after a few minutes, her phone rang.

She remembered the first words she heard from the other line were, 'Hi, Ma. It's me, Kobe,' and it was enough to bring her to tears. The joy she felt at that very second was similar to that of when she gave birth -- unbridled.

"Iyong tawagin ka lang 'ma.' Hindi ba ang weird nang iniiyakan ko iyon pero it's just the fact na ina-acknowledge niya ako tapos kalmado iyong boses niya. ...Sobrang sarap lang."

Soon after that conversation, she booked a flight to the US to personally meet up with Kobe.

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Since then, they have been closer than ever and, as she shared in the same interview, she has been enjoying "learning" how to be a mother to Kobe and his brother, Andre.

This included going on dates, fretting over whether they should share one bucket of popcorn when going to the movies, or if it's okay for her sons to pay the bill to their meal.

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"It's a new way of being a mother," she said. "I mean na-miss ko iyong gap na iyon, iyong 12-15 years, so it takes a little getting used to. ...Dapat maniwala ka na [you're their mother] kasi totoo na ito, na okay lang to feel good about it."