Former ABS-CBN president Charo Santos-Concio (Maria Rosario Santos-Concio in real life) is one of the more accomplished Filipinas in this generation. The Saint Paul’s University alumna has distinguished herself as an actress, producer and television executive.
Santos-Concio, who grew up in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro told CNN Philippines’ “Leading Women” that she was really a movie fan of the great movie stars during her younger days. She loved watching double programs in the town’s cinema. “The fan in me would want to know the process in making a great TV show and filmmaking,” Santos-Concio said.
The path to stardom started when Santos-Concio was named Baron Travel Girl in 1976. After the event, the late director Lino Brocka told her that director Mike de Leon was looking for a fresh face to star in his first film, Itim. When her parents gave her the go signal to pursue a potential career in show business, she auditioned and bagged the lead role. Santos-Concio showed she had acting chops when she won the best actress trophy in Mike de Leon’s Itim during the 1977 Asian Film Festival. “I was 20 years old then. I just wanted to try something different. That started my path to acting,” she said.
In the 1980s, she produced highly acclaimed films such as Peque Gallaga’s Oro, Plata, Mata and Ishmael Bernal’s Himala under the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines.
As the host of the popular ABS-CBN show Maalaala Mo Kaya, Santos-Concio has develop a strong bond and connection with overseas Filipino workers. In a webinar organized by Sun Life Philippines, Santos-Concio pointed out that working overseas has enabled millions of Filipinos to broaden their horizons.
On the other hand, Santos-Concio said OFWs have to hurdle the challenges they are facing while toiling overseas, such as homesickness and the fear of losing the bond between the parents and the children.
Right now, Concio is a brand ambassador of Sun Life Philippines’ Parent of the OFW Starter Pack to help Filipinos working overseas invest their earnings. The pack also consists of Sun Senior Prosperity Money Market Mutual fund investment starting at P7,000 per month.
Santos-Concio said the checkered stories of the people who are called the country’s modern heroes have brought sympathy and understanding to their plight. “Hearing about their pain always resonates in my heart,” she said.
With her sweet and friendly personality, Santos-Concio was always approached by OFWs while waiting for their flights.
She said that their fear of losing connection with their children is a major challenge for OFWs, especially when the children grow into adolescents without their parents. Indeed, it is a big dilemma as OFWs sacrifice a lot for the family to give their children a better future. At the same time, they could only wish to be with their children as they grow up, guiding them to become more responsible adults.
Santos-Concio said that constant communication is the most important part of the equation in the lives of OFWs. She urged the parents to check regularly on the emotional state of the children. “Don’t take for granted your relationship with your loved ones. Keep on communicating with them to ensure that they are on the loop,” she advised.
Santos-Concio said the children of OFWs should also play their part responsibly by giving value for every dollar that their parents send to them. She said it would be a good move to save a portion of their remittances for emergency situations. “Beneficiaries should also play a part in practicing fiscal and financial discipline,” she said.
Based on her parenting experience, Santos-Concio always involved her children when they were young in managing their financial resources. While they were growing up, she taught her two sons how to save their allowance. She kept reminding them “this is as far as you go in spending your allowance.”
Santos-Concio said the best time to start teaching financial literacy and discipline to children is when they are young. It starts with teaching them how to manage their allowance. “Live within your budget and means. Always be prudent in spending money. Be smart in managing your budget,” she said.
Aside from teaching them how to save, children must also learn to be prudent in spending their money, she said. Parents must teach their children the family priorities and, equally important, children must live the values that the parents taught them. Teaching values such as frugality is important because it will help them develop and become responsible in their lives,” she said.
She underscored the importance of teaching these values to the children of OFWs so they can pass these on when they have their own children. “It is important to teach them the right values because this will be their foundation in life. It will help them overcome the challenges in life,” she said.
“Parents should reinforce positive values to their children when they are growing up so they will grow as responsible individuals,” she added.
The multi-awarded actress said children should not be feeling entitled and pampered. Instead, she said children should appreciate the dedication and efforts of their OFW parents who always look after their welfare.
It is a fact that OFWs try to compensate for their absence by pampering their children. However, Santos-Concio urged OFW parents to allot “me time” for themselves so they can have the opportunity to unwind and relax from the rigors of work and long-distance parenting.
“When they tell their stories about their loneliness, they don’t take anything for granted and always put their families first on their priority list. But I always tell them, don’t be hard on yourselves so you can come back to your loved ones in tiptop shape.”
Sun Life has been focusing on this segment of society for some time, in its desire to help OFWs develop a solid economic foundation for their future at home. “It is a gift of wealth and gift of health.”