Social media praised actress-host Maine Mendoza for correcting a contestant on Bawal Judgmental, a segment of the popular noontime show Eat Bulaga on channel GMA-7, after she said that she was counting on her seven-year-old child to raise her and her husband out of poverty — shedding light on the country’s toxic culture of burdening children to become “retirement plans” for their parents when they grow up.
A TikTok video posted by @zbnyebe shows a clip from the show in which the host asks what message the contestant, a 25-year-old woman named Incess, had for her seven-year-old child.
@zbnyebe Yung 7 years old ka palang pero ang laki na ng responsibilities na nag aabang sayo 🙁 #sheknows #mainemendoza #eatbulagabawaljudgemental #retirementfundsph #relationshipmattersph ♬ She Knows – J. Cole
“Ace, study hard. Because I know you will be able to take us out of poverty. You should have the determination to make our lives better and have direction in life even while you’re young,” the contestant said in Filipino while in tears.
Maine tactfully responded to Incess, saying, “You and your husband are still young, Incess, you still have the chance to improve your lives.”
Another host, Ryan Agoncillo, interjected and said, “Make your dreams come true, Incess, for you and for your child.”
Putting her arm around the contestant’s shoulder, Maine added, “And Ace is still so young. Let’s not pass the responsibility on to the child. You and your husband can still achieve a lot of things.”
People said they could relate to the cultural mentality of bearing the responsibility of being their family’s breadwinner at the expense of their own personal aspirations.
“The design is very [much] my family, ‘study well and you can get us out of poverty.’ And also a bunso (youngest), the ‘last card.’ I’m tired hehe,” one commenter wrote.
“In fairness to Maine, she knows how to hit the spot without being offensive,” another said, praising the host’s tact around the situation.
“It’s a good thing we have hosts like Maine to try and break this generational curse,” one chimed in.
“This kind of mindset is why there are so many people who still struggle in the Philippines, because parents’ responsibilities are passed onto children. At seven years old, this child already has a huge responsibility waiting for him,” another added.
“Children are not investment or retirement plans,” one quipped.
