Mom creates children’s show after noticing kids stopped saying ‘po’ and ‘opo’

Ellen Estrada turns children’s show into a powerful movement for culture and character-building.

A mother’s concern over a fading Filipino tradition inspired Ellen Estrada to create “Musikwela,” an online children’s show that uses music, storytelling, puppetry and animation to teach young viewers about Filipino values.

The idea came in 2014 when Estrada noticed that her daughter Yumi’s classmates were no longer using “po” and “opo,” traditional expressions of respect for elders.

“I somehow felt alarmed. Sila kasi ang mga kasabay ni Yumi paglaki. This thought lingered for some time, then I finally decided to do something about it,” Estrada said during Musikwela’s recent media launch at VS Cinema in Quezon City. 

Knowing she could write stories and compose music, and having the resources through her company, Ideasquest Inc., she created a song about the two expressions.

Her songs “Po at Opo” and “Ang Bagong Alpabetong Filipino” have since garnered 3.4 million and 4.7 million views, respectively.

Teaching Filipino values through music

Launched in 2017, “Musikwela” aims to help children learn traditional Filipino values while developing empathy, respect for others and care for the environment.

“We want to raise a generation of Filipinos who are proud to be Filipinos and live with empathy, respect for oneself, others, and the environment, and aspire to make a positive difference in our society,” said Estrada, the show’s founder and executive director.

She hopes families will watch the program together and use its episodes as starting points for conversations with children.

The show became particularly relevant during the pandemic, when online learning became more widespread. Estrada said she also hopes children will try the crafts featured in the episodes and sing along with their parents.

Meet the Musikscouts

The 30-minute program features Estrada’s daughter, Yumi Sansano, alongside three puppets: Potpot, Lala and Biboy, collectively known as the Musikscouts.

Potpot is an eight-year-old musician who loves playing the guitar. Six-year-old Lala is an imaginative artist who values empathy, while five-year-old Biboy enjoys gardening, exploring nature and creating things.

Together, the characters encourage children to learn, discover and express themselves confidently.

Estrada acknowledged that bringing the puppets to life on camera presents technical challenges, particularly when performers must work in awkward positions to achieve natural-looking movements.

New episodes in November

“Musikwela” will release five new episodes on its Facebook page, website, and YouTube channel in November in time for National Children’s Month. Co-produced by Ideasquest Inc. and the National Council for Children’s Television, an attached agency of the Department of Education, the episodes will cover respect for elders, Indigenous culture, autism awareness, disaster preparedness and environmental care.

The program previously received Best Documentary and Most Child-Friendly Documentary honors at the NCCT’s DokyuBata Film Festival in 2023 for “Ang Bayani at Ang Kanyang Sandok,” about Filipino food chemist and World War II heroine Maria Orosa. It also received a Special Jury Citation for Educational Documentary for Children at Baguio’s Montañosa Film Festival’s Pelik Ubbing.

The program has produced 13 videos to date. Estrada hopes the program will eventually become a familiar part of Filipino children’s lives, helping them learn values through stories and songs.

Her goal, she said, is to help build character among young Filipinos and contribute to nation-building “one song at a time.”

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