She's Gone Viral

Dani Barreto is Julia Barreto's sister - the daughter of Marjorie Barreto and Kier Legaspi ... now married to Xavi Panlilio and is mother to Millie.

She has gone viral lately when she said: " Giving back to parents should not be voluntary ... not utang na loob." She shared her thoughts on the toxic "utang na loob" culture sa Pinas when it comes to parenting.

She stressed that grown-up children giving financial allowance to their parents should be VOLUNTARY ... and not OBLIGATORY.

She also emphasized that parents should not use "utang na loob" as an excuse to demand children to provide for them financially.

What can you say, guys?

Netizens Reaction

The netizens have mixed reactions to the viral comments of Dani Baretto on whether children should continue giving financial assistance to parents when they grow old. Here are some choice comments that are ironically contrasting but nevertheless express the whole gamut of emotions on whatever side they lean to:

Angelica Lachica - Sometimes the kind of giving back of children to parents depends on what kind of parent you are. Kung nagiging mabuting magulang ka... children are wholeheartedly giving back to you. Pero kung mabigat sa loob ng anak mo na balikan ka ... ask yourself kung nagiging mabuting magulang ka sa kanila?

Tess Porras - Maraming mga mabuting magulang na buong giting nilang tinataguyod ang mga pangangailangan ng mga anak nila.  They make their nights daytime para matustosan ang bawat needs nila.  Pero may mga anak talaga na sadyang walang utang na loob. Kuha lang ng kuha at hindi marunong magbigay. I agree hindi dapat ito obligatory ... but voluntary ... pero yong totally wala kang ibigay ... it speaks volumes kung anong klaseng anak ka.

Darel Dacules - For me, tama yes, dapat hindi sapilitan. But I will choose to help my parents.  Hindi ko sila matitiis. Kahit hindi nila ako irequire na tulungan sila ... tutulungan ko pa rin sila.

My Reaction: If "utang na loob" is one toxic culture ... there is another toxic Pinoy culture concerning children - the overstaying children who can't manage their lives - and depend largely on their parents for support.

As somebody who believes the American culture that children should be out of the house once they reach 18 so they can prepare for some arduous task ahead of their lives... I am one of those "rara avis" parents who don't expect anything from their children. Hindi dahil nagmamagaling ako ... common sense lang ...if they can't take care of their own family ... isang suntok sa buwan ang maghintay ng tulong sa kanila. Does that make sense?

If Dani Barreto believes that helping parents is voluntary and not obligatory ... I also believe that parents helping children is not all-encompassing ... dapat may expiration date ito... na pati sarili nila kalimutan nila alang-alang sa serbisyo. Would you believe na kaya may mga anak na hindi kaya tumayo sa kanilang sariling paa ... kahit matanda na sila ... dahil rin sa isang toxic culture na pinaniwalaan ni Dani na obligasyon ng parents ang suportahan ang kanilang mga anak till their dying day.  Yon bang sinasalo ang lahat ... kahit hindi na dapat.

I just hope na totoo nga itong sinasabi ni Dani. The 64 dollar question is ... will she change her perspective once she reach 70 ... na uugod-ugod na at kailangan niya ang tulong ng kanyang mga anak. If my suspect is true ... para na ring kinain niya ang ...  sariling SUKA niya.

Ang pagtulong sa magulang ay KUSANG LOOB ... at di kailan man ginagawa dahil sa UTANG NA LOOB.

Best Time - BGYO (Music Video) | He’s Into Her Season 2 OST

Photo Story

Just how much do you appreciate the money that is being sent to you?

The best way maybe is to send them notes of appreciation and let them know how grateful you are. Send them emails to let them know how you plan to use the money ... and making it specific will be helpful.

Another way is to pay them back ... and make them feel you are also available to return the favor.

Thank you notes are becoming a thing of the past but your sincerity can easily be felt as it is tangible.  It doesn't need to be wordy and making the effort is a big plus.

The photo story above reminds us to be appreciative of one's generosity.  Hindi dahil pinapadalhan ka ... iwawaldas mo. Be considerate and when the time comes ... it will be your turn to help ... by all means, do it without hesitation.

Huwag Sarili Na Lang Ang Iniisp Mo

May mga bata na kung magsumbat sa mga magulang feeling ENTITLED sila. Nababaligtad na nga ang mga pangyayari.  Parang sila na ang magulang at sinesermonan ang magulang na parang isang basang sisiw ... lugmok sa problema at hiyang hiya sa sarili.

Kung ano ang gusto nila yon ang masusunod. No ifs ... and no buts ang batas ... basta ito ang mga kailangan nila ... tapos. Kailangan punuin ng mga magulang ang mga kapritso nila.  Nahihiya kasi sila sa mga kaibigan  sakaling malaman nila na hindi nila kaya bilhin ang mga mamahaling gamit at gadgets.  Kung ano meron sila ,.. dapat meron siya.

At kung magsalita silang: "You'll never understand my pain.."  alin bang "pain" iho ang ibig mong sabihin? Yong "pain" na nai-inggit ka or nagseselos ... or yong "pain" na alam mong walang-wala ang pamilya mo at kailanman ay hindi mo pwedeng ikompara ang sarili mo sa mayayamang kaibigan mo?

Kawawang magulang at naging sunod-sunoran na lang. Kung alam lang ng mga bata ang krus na pinapasan ng mga magulang - wrestling with all kind of challenges - bills, health problems, monetary and financial setbacks ... sana naliwanagan rin ng makitid na pagiisip nila.

Shout out sa mga anak diyan. Magiging maalam ka dapat at kailangan pakialaman mo ang tunay na sitwasyon ninyo sa buhay. 

Kung wala kang ginawa kundi magdemand ka ng demand na bilhin ang  kung anong meron ang iba ... obligasyon mo ring alamin kung ano ang dapat at hindi.  Nakita mo ang "pain" ng selos at inggit na personal na nararamdaman mo ... pero nakikita mo rin ba ang "pain" na kasalukuyang dinadala at pinapasan ng mga magulang mo? Kung bulag ka or manhid --- sigurado ako hindi mo nararamdaman.

Pwede ba huwag naman yong puro sarili mo na lang ang inaatupag mo. Kung gusto mo magkaroon ng mga gadgets na yan ... magtrabaho ka. Diyan mo malaman how hard it is to spend your hard-earned money sa mga bagay na kung lilimiin mo lang ay parang hindi naman importante. Matuto kang makontento sa kung ano meron kayo. 

Before you know it ... sa pagiging entitled mo at pagiging vocal mo ... ikaw pa ang nagpako sa kanila sa krus ... or to put it bluntly... you put the last and final nail ... in their coffin. Mahirap mangyari? Pero pwede mangyari.

Maiintiendihan mo ang tinutukoy ko pagdating nga panahon when there is a reversal of roles ... yong hindi ka na anak ... kundi isang magulang na.

Intercontinental Shanghai Wonderland

If Dingdong Dantes has Amazing Earth on TV ,,, this blog has an Amazing Earth series that will leave you breathless as your jaw drops either of disbelief or a state of shock.  Let me remind our readers that the photos are not ours ... so kudos to the person who owns the images.  We are just too happy to share them with you ... that man since time immemorial has created a lot of stupefying ideas only a genius can think.  They made these ideas happen and we are here to marvel at their beauty ... the time and money spent on it ... and the sleepless nights they spent perfecting their craft.

Structure: Intercontinental Shanghai Wonderland

Location: Shimao Wonderland, 5188 Chen Hua Road at Ding Yuan Road, Songjiang District, Shanghai  

Year Created: This hotel started construction in 2006, and it opened last November 20, 2018. It was 12 years of construction. It is a unique hotel and earthscraper is managed by InterContinental and was built on the site of an abandoned quarry and, notably, features some rooms underwater.

Description: The hotel and resort have an aquatic theme and have 337 rooms. The signature attractions are the quarry pit, Botanic Garden, Tianmanshan Country Club, Shenshan, and Tianmashan Mountains. The hotel is 18 stories, 16 of which are below ground level, including two projected underwater floors; two of the floors are above the 88m deep quarry. The abandoned quarry is partially filled with water to create an artificial lake. The hotel is designed in an "S" shape, utilizing a convex to concave form. 

InterContinental Wonderland Shanghai | The fabulous world’s first underg...