Abakada Ina isa 2001 Filipino film depicting the dedication of an illiterate mother, Estela to raise her

children well and to give them the best they can have. Many problems arose because Estela do not know
how to read and write. Estela and her children lives under the same roof as her husband’s mother, Matilda.
Matilda taught many things to her grandchildren and she do not want them to become illiterate like their
mother. Estela feels that Matilda is doing the things she should have been doing and feels left out. These
first scenes emphasized the prejudice the society sets on people who are illiterate. According the NSO’s
2010 Census of Population and Housing, 97.5% of Filipinos who are 10 years old and above are illiterate
or could and rate. If the movie were released currently, Estela would belong to the three percent. Matilda,
who represents the society, sees Estela as a no one because of her illiteracy. The former and his child,
Estela’s husband, always tell Estela that she can do nothing and that she is lesser than her because she is
illiterate. Concomitantly, I think the biggest factor that affected Estela’s illiteracy is her mother because she
did not pursue her child to get to school. I believe the first persons to guide and inspire their children to
achieving literacy is no less than their parents. The parents should take their children to school, well beyond
the four walls of their house.

The next sequence tells the story when they went to Manila to start a new life as Daniel applies for a job as
a seaman. In Manila, Estela met her new friend, who helped her through acing some of her problems: one
is enrolling her youngest to day care. Many problems arose when they went to Manila. There, we can see
how huge Estela’s problem is because of she cannot read and write. She cannot socialize well because she
cannot understand some things like ‘keep the change’, ‘salt’, ‘ladies’ and ‘gentlemen’. Education brings us
into a system where we can interact with people, gel up with your friends and live amicably. It also improves
your self-confidence because you are aware of your world and have acquired knowledge about your
surroundings and your country. Also, through gaining knowledge and education, you can be independent.
In the film, Estela cannot go home alone in a place where she is not familiar with because she does not
know places. Education helps us to become independent, even in a different place. It also helps us take
decisions in lie without relying to external advice.

Another scene exemplifies not only the importance of education, but the importance of learning what you
love to do and not what you are told to. Daniel, Estela’s husband is forced to take Marine Engineering
which he does not like but he took it because of his mother. Due to this, he failed five times in his board
exam. Parents should not force their children to something they are not into because there is a very large
chance for them to become unsuccessful. ‘When they do what they love, then you won’t work for a day in
your life’, a quote says. The parents should support their children and not dictate them.

At the end of the film, Estela goes to school with her Matilde as her teacher. Matilde finally learned her
lesson that although education is very important, she should not judge people based on their literacy but by
their heart.

After watching this film, I become more motivated to teach children. At ages 7 years old or so, children
should be taught not only about literacy, like mathematics and sciences, but also the importance of values
because they will carry them out everywhere in their life. Education is a collaborative effort of teachers,
parents, community and officials. I believe that we should never give up on guiding and inspiring children
in achieving these life goals.