Aeta mother and son figure in inspirational web campaign
THE first Aeta to graduate from a premier state university in the Philippines, Norman King and his mom, Warlita hit the world wide web on June 19 as stars of a new campaign titled, “Pabaon sa Buhay.”
Produced by soap brand Safeguard Philippines, the title of the short film is derived from the term “baon,” which refers to the money, food or any provision that a person takes from home to set one ready for school, work, or any journey.
But as the Kings show, baon, does not only pertain to material things but can also be words of wisdom, life lessons, and family values parents teach their children at home to protect them from the uncertainties of the outside world.
As such, the short film revolves around the story of Norman and how his mom’s pabaon strengthened for an independent life in Manila, given his many uncertainties growing up—from questioning the color of his skin, to being poor, and his dreams to wear clothes outside the Aeta culture.
For every question, his mom provided him with provisions that helped Norman let go of his insecurities and embrace his identity.
Overcoming these struggles, Norman was able to finish his college away from his family with hard work and guidance from his mother’s “pabaon sa buhay.”
“There is a universal challenge parents face in bringing up their children, having to balance the desire to keep them close and protected with letting them go explore the world to learn by themselves. As a personal care company, we strive to help parents overcome this tension by fostering a healthy independence between parents and children. Essential to this are the ‘pabaon’ parents give their children —be it an everyday lunchbox, the lifesaving habit of hand washing or life lessons—which will help protect them as they explore the world on their own,” says Alex Vogler, associate director of Digital Transformation and Brand Communications for Procter & Gamble in the region.
“By sharing the touching story of Norman King and the life lessons he received from his mother, we hope to inspire parents all around the Philippines to impart their personal ‘pabaon’ to help protect their children in life.”
The short film is now up on www.safeguard.ph and its official Facebook and YouTube pages.