Television programming rarely transcends entertainment to become a catalyst for social discourse, yet the September 22 episode of It’s Showtime achieved precisely that.
During what began as a routine Laro Laro Pick segment, hosts Vice Ganda, Anne Curtis, and Vhong Navarro engaged contestant Ron, a struggling mother, in a conversation that would resonate far beyond the studio’s confines.
The exchange commenced when Vice Ganda inquired about Ron’s aspirations for her children. The contestant’s response reflected the constrained dreams of countless Filipino families: “Sana good health lagi sila. Bukod doon, maibigay ko sa kanila pangangailangan nila, kasi minsan talaga hindi po sapat.” Her words embodied the reality of parents who dare not dream beyond basic necessities.
Vice Ganda, however, refused to accept such limited aspirations. She challenged Ron to articulate grander visions: “Pero, ano ‘yung wild mong dream? Kasi di ba, katulad nung ‘sana maayos kalusugan nila’, that’s basic. Lahat tayo gusto ‘yun! Pero ano ‘yung wildest dreams mo? Katulad nung iba, ‘sana maging best actress ang anak ko’, ‘sana maging presidente sya ng Pilipinas’, ‘sana maging sikat na doktor’, ‘sana maging scientist’,…’yung ganon? Wala?”
When Ron confirmed she harbored bigger dreams, Vice Ganda seized the moment to address a systemic issue plaguing Filipino society. She articulated a compelling argument about the relationship between limited aspirations and societal vulnerability: “Kasi I would like Filipinos to dream big. Kasi, kaya sanay tayo na niloloko at kinakawawa, kasi sanay din tayo na konti lang ang pinapangarap natin. Ang babaw-babaw ng kaligayahan nyo, kaya ang babaw-babaw, ang konti-konti din, akala ng iba, ‘okay na sa kanya yan, ang babaw naman ng kaligayahan nyan.”
Vhong Navarro contributed to the discourse by exploring Ron’s children’s individual aspirations. The revelation that her second child aspires to become a famous singer provided the perfect exemplar for the hosts’ message about ambitious dreaming.
Anne Curtis reinforced the conversation’s central thesis with practical guidance for parents: “Yun! Kaya importante sa mga magulang (na), we plant that seed in them. Hindi lang tayo basta nangangarap para sa mga anak natin, but we also have to plant that seed in them that they also grow up dreaming big! Sobrang importante ‘yun, kaya tama na kausapin mo sila, sabihin mo sa kanila na ‘alam mo ba, ano bang pangarap mo?’ I-nurture mo ang pangarap na ‘yun, i-encourage mo sila na ituloy nila ang pangarap nila.”
Vice Ganda concluded the segment with a powerful declaration that transcended the studio audience: “At kahit mahirap na mahirap ka, mangarap ka! Hindi man nila ibigay sa iyo, ikaw mismo gagawa ng paraan para ibigay ‘yan sa sarili mo sa marangal na pamamaraan. Mangarap tayo mga bagets!”
This spontaneous exchange illuminated a critical aspect of Filipino culture: the tendency to diminish aspirations due to economic constraints. The hosts’ intervention served as both diagnosis and prescription, identifying how modest expectations perpetuate cycles of underachievement while advocating for transformative thinking.
The significance of this moment extends beyond entertainment value. Vice Ganda’s assertion that Filipinos’ susceptibility to exploitation correlates with their limited dreams presents a provocative theory worthy of broader consideration. She suggests that when people expect little, they become vulnerable to those who offer marginally more.
Anne Curtis’s emphasis on parental responsibility adds another dimension to this discourse. Her call for parents to cultivate ambitious dreams in their children addresses the intergenerational transmission of aspirations, suggesting that breaking cycles of limited thinking requires deliberate intervention.
The hosts collectively delivered a message that challenges conventional wisdom about dreams and circumstances. Rather than accepting hardship as a limitation on aspirations, they positioned adversity as motivation for grander visions. Their call to the Madlang People and all Filipinos represents more than inspirational rhetoric—it constitutes a blueprint for personal and societal transformation through elevated expectations and unwavering determination.
