Sampiano, Hannah Elisha V.

May 1, 2023
11 – St. Anthony Reading and Writing Skills

The Toxic Secrets in Some Filipino Households

At present, the Philippines is still considered a third-world country. In fact, the
poverty rate rose from 16.7% in 2018 to 18.1% in 2021, according to DataBank. Not to
mention, the pandemic had an impact on low-income households, resulting in an increase
in poverty. With that, many parents cannot ignore to view their children as a source of
financial assistance and a retirement plan for when they get old. Some children may take
"Anak, mag-aral ka nang mabuti upang mapaganda ang buhay natin." as an
encouragement to study harder and build an abundant future for their immediate family.
But for some, it can create pressure and high expectations. This Filipino culture became
traditional and is considered one of the most toxic Filipino cultures of the present time.
The article discusses the Filipino culture of children as parents' retirement plans.
An issue circled the internet not too long ago. Incess, a participant in Eat Bulaga's Serye
Bawal Judgemental, received lots of backlashes from netizens after sending her son a
controversial message. Her actual words were "Ace, mag-aral ka nang mabuti, kasi alam
ko ikaw ang makaka-ahon sa amin sa kahirapan. Ikaw 'yung pursigido para pagandahin
yung buhay natin, tsaka bata ka pa. Kahit bata ka pa, may pangarap ka na talaga." After
hearing this message, Maine Mendoza—a celebrity—explained to Incess that she and
her husband should not rely on their 7-year-old son. She lightened the atmosphere by
stating that Incess and her husband have an abundant future ahead of them.
What Maine Mendoza said to the participant is true. Her exact words were, "Ang
bata mo pa Incess, kayong mag-asawa, may pagkakataon pa para palakihin o
pagandahin ang inyong buhay." Parents should be the ones responsible for raising their
children out of poverty, not the other way around. The decision to bear a child came from
the parents in the first place. Hence, netizens were saddened and disappointed by that
certain local TV moment. Many would also say that this Filipino culture may be rooted in
the overflowing issues of the government, such as corruption. Truly, Philippine politics
has so much to improve for the next generation not to experience the sad realities of
unemployment, poverty, and hunger. Some parents cannot blame those who rely on their
children. It can be difficult to live in a country with a corrupt government.
After the Eat Bulaga controversy, many articles were published at once. "Maine
Mendoza Is Right: It's Time We Stop Seeing Children As 'Long-Term Investments'",
written by Sam Beltran, is an example of those articles whose intention is to open the
conversation about this certain toxic Filipino culture. The article discussed this culture as
a "generational curse," which describes the culture of passing the pressure on children
as financial assistance. More so, the article intends to inform several Filipinos about the
time to stop this generational curse.
Being a celebrity should be both an honor and an opportunity to speak up on
issues, like what Maine Mendoza did on Eat Bulaga's Bawal Judgmental Serye. In
addition, while there is nothing wrong with giving back the support and assisting parents
in their later years, parents should not pass on the responsibility and depend on their
children's future. There are many opportunities ahead for parents who are still young and
capable of changing their lives, like the 25-year-old parent, Incess.