Skip to main content

Piolo Pascual's funny videos help OFs mental burden



Being away from your family and loved-ones brings unimaginable sadness. Imagine this struggle that our OFW's need to face every day as they perform their duties in different countries missing every event with their families.

I still remember when I was an OFW in Hong Kong, despite my everyday struggle in missing my family, I always think of their future and that makes me stronger. Providing them what they need and sending money to my loved ones back in the Philippines gives me satisfaction from all the sacrifices I made abroad, and of course, sending the hard-earned money requires a trusted remittance partner where I can ensure that my family will receive it safely, and that's where BDO partner establishment helped me.

Experts in the Philippines and other countries have been warning us: along with the wave of COVID-19 infections would be a wave of mental illness. There’s no avoiding that: people are anxious, afraid, and many have lost jobs and face an uncertain future.

Add to that our collective isolation, loneliness, and dread. Overseas Filipinos (OFs) are particularly vulnerable. Actor Piolo Pascual is among those calling for more support for OFs during the pandemic.

He said that overseas Filipinos are already under a great amount of pressure as they face tough emotional, physical, and financial challenges. It’s not surprising then that some of them would have mental health issues.

 “For decades, our economy benefited from billions of dollars in remittances. At this time, it’s our turn to give back and support OFs now that they are going through both a pandemic and an economic downturn,” said Piolo.

OF roles in movies, TVCs Piolo has played several OF characters in various dramatic films it’s a role that he also knows in real life because he used to be a security guard in Los Angeles, California before he achieved Philippine movie stardom. Recently, it was revealed that he again played versions of these characters in three new videos that will be shown in BDO branches, on BDO’s YouTube channel, and the BDO Kabayan Facebook page.

The commercials are light-hearted spin-offs or even slight spoofs of classic scenes in his movies “Milan” (with Claudine Barretto) and “Starting Over Again” (with Toni Gonzaga).

As the videos’ release coincides with OFs’ present situation, they take on more significance and meaning in Piolo’s view.

“Mahilig ang mga Pinoy sa drama eh. Pero pati comedy rin. Etong mga videos, parang pinagsama yan tapos may twist. Yung pangkalahatan na mensahe ng video ay kailangan natin ngayon: yung kasiyahan at pag-asa. “Ang drama natin ngayon, real life. Pandemic. 



Lost jobs. Quarantine. Sandaang araw na itong drama. Hindi kagaya ng drama sa pelikula, two hours lang. So we need relief, we need to feel lighter, to see that we can still smile. Ma-realize lang natin na, oo nga, okay pa rin tumawa, magsaya. Na meron pa ring pag-asa. May solusyon. We can always find ways,” said Piolo.

Reaching out, getting help Piolo said that the most important thing that OF's need to remember is to reach out for help.

“Marami kasi sa atin, may tendency to keep things to ourselves. Masyado tayong matiisin. Akala natin puntos para sa atin yung magdusa. No, it’s not. Kung malungkot ka, o masama ang loob, call a friend. Makipag-usap sa kapamilya. Wala namang award na ibibigay sa iyo kapag sinarili mo ang problema mo. Nagiging delikado lang lalo ang mental health mo,” he said. He also reminded OFs not to hesitate to get professional help if needed. “There’s still a stigma over mental health. 

Sa panahon ngayon, hindi na dapat ikahiya ang mental illness. Tratuhin natin na tulad lang ng ibang sakit sa katawan.” He noted that there’s no shame in getting help to be better in our minds and emotions.’


Piolo added that people should be more empathetic and compassionate.

“Pag may lumapit sa atin dahil nalulungkot, o may problema. Huwag balewalain. Sometimes, we say, ‘Kaya mo yan!’ pagkatapos iiwanan natin.. Hindi sapat yun. Huwag natin iwanan. Samahan natin tapos pakinggan natin.Hindi naman kailangan tayo ang mag-solve ng problema. Basta maiparamdam natin na hindi siya nag-iisa. Na nandon tayo to support him or her.” Call for bayanihan Piolo added that the new videos show precisely how to help.



“In all the videos, mapapansin mo na kahit light and funny ang approach, malinaw ang mensahe: kapag ang kapwa Pinoy ay nasa alanganin, kapwa Pinoy ang tutulong. Hindi naman kailangan na solohin natin ang problema. Ang lakas ng Pilipino, nasa pagtutulungan, bayanihan. Especially during this pandemic, which is a huge, global problem, we need to call on the best in ourselves and help each other,” he said. 

In one video, “Starting Over There”, a desperate man (named Marco Villanueva, played by Piolo) chases after a taxicab in the rain, calling after “Ginny” (the character played by Toni Gonzaga in the original film). It is implied that similar to the film, Ginny is leaving Marco to work abroad.

We then realize that Marco is doubly desperate as he kneels in the rain because Ginny seems to have left with his ATM card. He says that he needs it to access a remittance. Then a twist happens when an old woman, hair done in curlers, finds Marco as he fumbles in his pockets. Marco sees the ATM card was in his pocket all along.

Amidst this pandemic, let us remember to check with our loved ones abroad and let them feel the gratitude and love that they need to stay strong and positive even if they are far away from us.






Comments

Jessica said…
Ang gandang mensahe naman nito mamsh lalo na sa panahon ngaun wala tlagang iban magtutulungan kundi kapwa pilipino.
jennifer londe said…
Ganyan tayong mga filipino hangat kaya natin tumulong tumutulong tayo mommy...good partner talaga ang bdo pagdating sa remittances natin mommy lalo na nga mga ofw trusted na ang bdo jan..
Lovell Compoc said…
coukdi imagine din sa struggle ng mga OFW's emotionally and financially of course lalo ngayong pandemic. I've seen post of our Kabayans na sobrang nagtitiis sa lungkot na malayo sa pamilya maibigay lang lahat ng needs, how much more ngayon na bagsak ang economy sa buong mundo so it's hard to bear. Medyo talagang maiisip natin na paano na ang mental health nila na nasa malayo sjla.
Good thing, there's BDO na nakaalalay lagi. Na sa kanilang pera na pinapagpaguran ay sigurong aabot sa pamilya. Watched those 3 BDO advertisements wd Piolo Pascual. Ramdam mo ang drama siguro na macoconvince ka na panoorin siya , kasi naman Papa P na yan eh. Aside sa drama, may teisy pa which is mas like ko at nakakalift up ng mood lalo na sa mga OFW. Sa Starting Over Today pinapakita kung gaano kaybilis mag open ng account, no hesitations at hirap to provide docs . Relieving eto sa kanjla lalo need nila mabilis na process bec of their diff duties. Sa Mula sa Abroad naman, kinilig ako sa mga banat na lines hehe pero malinaw na no drama, easy nalang magpadala ng pera sa mga mahal sa buhay. ang galing! tiwala si Kabayan na ung pagod at hirap niya mapupunta sa tama dahil mabilis at tiwala na kay BDO. Sa Starting Over There naman, ung lines talaga na tumatak eh hehe for sure tuwang tuwa ang mga viewers dahil ung opening na eksena eh emotional pero may twist pala, ang dali lang mag withdraw ng pera 👏 And siguradong our fellow Kabayan lalo OFW, napangiti sila sa tatlong segment na eto na ginawa ni BDO at Papa Piolo.
It's really true na sa dami ng hirap na pinagdadaanan ng mga OFW's natin ,most of them suffered mental health problems, dahil sa dami ng iniisip nila. Hindi lng sarili nila pati na din pamilya na malayo sa kanila. Kaya nmn need din tlga natin to find ways na dapat sa BDO tayo may tiwala in terms of remittances dahil subok na.
In this trial times of pandemic ,we need to be empathetic and compassionate. Kaya kapag may mga OFW's na humingi ng tulong or gusto ng makakausap lets give them a big hand. Through BDObwenfind ways talaga.
Yes mommy lalo tayong mga Filipino palagiang may bayanihan, pag may problema pag usapan natin hindi man tayo makapag solve ng problems nila atleast meron silang shoulder to cry on.
Yes mommy lalo tayong mga Filipino palagiang may bayanihan, pag may problema pag usapan natin hindi man tayo makapag solve ng problems nila atleast meron silang shoulder to cry on.
Anafe Compoc said…
Tama po sa panahon ngayon mas maigi na magtulungan lalong lalo na sa mga kababayan nating OF's..marami ang naapektuhan ngayon lalo na mga OFW na walang ibang iniisip kundi ang kanilang pamilya kong paanu nila matustusan ang pangangailangan nila sa panahon ng pandemic at hindi maiwasan ng iba na ma depress..The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something..the best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone...mabuti nalang talaga andyan si BDO na handang umalalay sa bawat pilipino / kababayan abroad para mas mapadali specially money remittance..Bet ko talaga ang BDO lalo na ang kanilang tagline na We find ways..
I don't want to live in the kind of world where we don't look out for each other. Not just the people that are close to us, but anybody who needs a helping hand.
Anonymous said…
Ang galing talaga ni Papa Piolo when it comes to acting walang kakupas kupas. At iba pa din Yun dating nya nakakakilig pa din sya dito sa bago nyang TV commercial na BDO, the bank who will always find ways to help the people. Minsan akala natin na wala nang ways pero meron pa Palang paraan. And maganda din po na mag tipid at mag ipon tayo Lalo n apo sa panahon ngayon.😊
Kudos to BDO and good job Papa Piolo. 😍☺️
Yung commercial ni PAPA P. Nkktuwa siya na nakakakilig at meron dn tips kung pano magpadala sa BDO kabayan . Kahut nasa malayo ka at need magpadala meron bdo na nkaagapay sayo 😍
Dhel Manog said…
Idol talaga to si Papa P.Walang pagbabago sa acting nya super galing pa rin ,isa yan sa movie na gusto ko sa kanya ,gusto ko syang payungan charot,kakilig lang! Super hirap talaga yong mapalayo ka sa pamilya mo ,hindi ko ranas yong mag abroad pero naiimagine ko yong hirap ng mga OFW lahat ginagawa nila para sa pamilya nila para masuportahan nila pamilya nila at mabigyan ng magandang kinabukasan.BDO find ways talaga lalo na ngayon sa panahon ng pandemic ,laking tulong ng bank na ito .
Twinmama Sarah said…
Big help talaga ni BDO very fast,reliable and hassle free ang transaction natin about money because they really find ways to serve us better 👌 Ang galing ng concept nila sa advertising very catchy 😊 plus si Papa P pa 🙌 Kudos to BDO
Jeny Mei Manalo said…
Iba ka talaga papa P walang kupas ang acting, BDO really find ways! True di biro ang pinagdaraanan ng ating mga OFW heros, bukod sa malayo na sa pamilya , may kinakaharap pang panibagong pagsubog dulot ng pandemic. Communication is the key talaga sa halos lahat ng bagay iba talaga pag may pag uusap, mararamdaman mo kasi na may kaagapay ka sa mga pinagdaraanan mo.Support ang kailangan ng bawat isa sa atin.Laban lang matatapos din ang lahat ng ito ,thanks BDO a hassle free and trusted bank na palaging maaasahan.

Popular posts from this blog

Tigdas/Measles: Mga Sintomas, Pagkain at Lunas

Pagkatapos ng Dengvaxia incident maraming magulang ang natakot na pabakunahan ang mga anak ng libreng bakuna na inaalok ng DOH Health Centers. Yung iba sa atin hindi na pinabakunahan ang mga anak laban sa measles, tetanus, rubella at cervical cancer (HPV). Nito lang week dinala namin uli si Chelsea sa Pedia nya dahil sa pabalik-balik na lagnat at ang napansin ko na rashes sa may bandang dibdib at tyan nya. Sinabi sa amin ng doctor na patuloy namin obserbahan si Chelsea dahil maaring mayroong Measles outbreak, sapagkat 3 na sa kanyang naging pasyente ng araw na iyon ay postive sa measles. Nagdeclare ng measles outbreak ang DOH sa Zambonga City noong February 2018, 495 na kaso sa Davao city starting from January-September 2108, at barangay sa taguig noong March 2018. Anu-ano nga ba ang sintomas ng tigdas (measles)? Mga kailangang gawin? Mga pagkain na  pwede at bawal kainin. 2 uri ng tigdas o Measles Tigdas Tigdas Hangin Sintomas: Rashes o pamamantal Dry cough

Nutri 10 Plus, Vitamins Perfect For Child's Growing Needs

Summer is already here. The temperature last week was 34°c and its getting hotter everyday. We have to open our windows to make sure that we won't get suffocated because of the heat. Summer is also the season of flu, bacteria that can cause cough and build up of phlegm. Kids should always be geared with proper protection. Their body needs protection from harmful diseases. That's why I was so thankful that I used Nutri 10 vitamins for my Chelsea. This is the kind of vitamins that she really need. For sure most of you know that Chelsea is a picky eater. She only eat if we have Sinigang or gravy that she put in her steamed rice. After taking Nutri 10 for almost a month now. I noticed some changes in her appetite and daily routine.  Before, Chelsea stays up until 2 am and wakes up around 11 am. Thankfully that routine changed and she also started to eat vegetables. As a mom I'm always worried because I know that she is not getting the right nutrients that her

A quick trip down holiday memory lane

  Can you feel it? The cold breeze, holiday songs, festive decorations, and colorful lights and lanterns… it’s Christmas season, everybody! Filipinos are known to celebrate Christmas the longest – it starts with the BER months and ends in January. Along with parties and get-togethers, we also have different traditions to celebrate the yuletide season. Since I was a kid, I associated grapes and round fruits with the holiday season. My grandma used to buy a lot of grapes during the BER months and placed them on our table along with other fruits. The grapes were also hung on windows and doors to help bring in good fortune for the coming year. I remember her asking me who was eating the grapes as she noticed that they were slowly “disappearing” and I said it must have been my aunties and our cat. But… It was silly me all along, of course! My aunties ended up buying more, much to my delight.   For Christmas eve, my aunties and grandma would make their delicious fruit salad – a huge can of f