PLDT Home in the 21st century is right on schedule and many Filipino families are the better for it.

There was a time when Tatay worked out of town and Nanay was no longer a stay-at-home mom. Both of them had to leave the family abode at definite times of the day.

Act I. Scene 1.

It is 5:00 a.m. Tatay reluctantly reaches for the alarm clock and taps it off. He does not want to get up but he has to because he has to catch a bus for a one-hour ride to get to work. And he has to be there before 8 a.m. His work is in Sales and he better be the early bird who catches the worm.

Act I. Scene 2.

Tatay goes to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. Nanay is already at the stove cooking rice and soon she’ll be at the counter slicing some meatloaf for breakfast. She had been up at 4 a.m. to feed the dogs, sort out the laundry, and take out the trash. She also set aside ten minutes to meditate and pray. But she also thinks, “Sorry, Lord, ten minutes is all I can spare.”

Act I. Scene 3.

5:30 a.m. The kitchen is now a beehive of activity. Tatay has gone to the bath to do his ablutions and get dressed, but the children replace his space with their noisy presence. Manang is graduating from High School, Tata is still in Elementary, and there’s little Lily, 4 years old, wailing because the noise startled her. Nanay can’t rush to Lily to soothe her, or the meatloaf might burn. “Meatloaf again,” the kids grumble. But this is the easiest to cook although not the healthiest to serve. The two children are right in complaining because packed away in their lunchboxes are (you guessed it right) slices of meatloaf. What’s Nanay to do? She wants to send the kids off with healthier fare of fruits and trail mix and unprocessed food for lunch but healthy food is pricey in the city and she does not have time to do some gardening.

Soon, the kids give her a kiss goodbye. Then, Tatay gives her a hug before following suit. Nanay now has to wash the dishes and take care of Lily. They have no yaya because the family budget cannot afford it. Anyway, Lily is going to be picked up by her lola. She’ll be in good hands when she goes to nursery class today.

Act I. Scene 4.

7:30 a.m. Lily is now with her grandmother. Nanay is home alone now but she’s not enjoying a leisurely cup of herbal tea with her feet up. “Oh, I wish.” Instead, she’s frantically finishing off her boring breakfast of meatloaf. She misses Lily the bunso and she’d love to cuddle and tell stories to the little one. If she only had more time, but she has to get ready for work. Manang and Tata have suffered the same fates before. Tatay had been at his job for 18 years as main breadwinner, while Nanay works at the city library. Lola would bring Lily to the library after school, but Nanay is busy manning her department. How ironical! All those children’s books to read to Lily but not enough time to do it.

Act I. Scene 5.

6 p.m. Nanay is home with Lily. She’s very tired, but it’s now time to prepare dinner of bangus tinola with radish slices as a healthy extender. Manang comes home quite late because she had to finish her project at the downtown internet cafe. Nanay sighs. The laundry can wait till the weekend. Tata needs help with his homework, too. “Nanay, let’s have internet access at home na.” “Not yet, Tata, someday…” Ah, finally, Tatay’s here. Dinnertime! There’s only one viand on the table; Nanay gets the smallest piece.

Act. I. Scene 6.

10 p.m. The children are in bed asleep. Tatay and Nanay are talking in a low voice. Tatay says he is tired of his hour-long commute. Nanay tells him that his brother in Manila has it worse – 3 hours! “The children need at least one parent available.” “But Tatay, we cannot still live on one salary alone. I have to work. And when I come home, I still do the chores. You’re tired? I am, too. In fact, I’m sick and tired!” Tears roll down Nanay’s trembling cheeks; Tatay could only shake his head. Something has to change.

Act II. Scene 1

10 a.m. End of summertime! But there’s no school-opening stress this time. The PLDT Home Prepaid Wifi was installed four months ago. Nanay had found a new job working from home as a medical transcriptionist. She has more time for household chores and had even started a vegetable garden that yields enough to lower their food costs. She seems happier and lighter because she can enjoy a non-rigid schedule. She can even work in her pajamas. And no more commuting!!!

Act II. Scene 2

Nanay and Tatay decided to homeschool Lily taking the burden off Lola who no longer needs to bring Lily to and from nursery school. Nanay can choose from any topic to create Lily’s homeschooling curriculum. Nanay’s secret: PLDT Home Prepaid Wifi.

5:35 p.m. Manang comes home earlier now because she doesn’t hang out in internet cafes like she used to. Tata prepares his homework more thoroughly and Manang guides him through the difficult ones. They have become more caring toward each other as siblings. Their secret: PLDT Home Prepaid Wifi.

Act II. Scene 3.

6:00 p.m. At the dinner table, Tatay is happily talking with the family and telling them that he’s allowed to leave work early to enable him to be home early, too. This way, he is able to beat the afternoon rush hour. Everyone beams. They know his secret. PLDT Home Prepaid Wifi that enables him to monitor and report sales to his boss right in the comfort of his home. Tatay has more time with the children now. And Nanay is happy to spend quality time with him, too. No more tears.

PLDT Home’s Prepaid Wifi is easy on the pocket with no monthly bills. It can connect up to 5 devices. Just plug and play because no installation is required. Load anywhere at Smart and PLDT stores, 7-Eleven Convenience Stores, and authorized dealers.

Act II. Scene 4.

Nanay is happy to note that she has less stress by working from home – no rushing, no running after the jeep to catch a ride to work, minimal need for jeepney and taxi fares, no need to pack a baon for lunch. The family has more spending money. They get together more often – they eat together, pray together, and spend more weekends together either gardening or watching a movie at home. She can do the household chores during breaks at her online job. The family not only saves money, they save time! And that extra time finds Nanay sipping her herbal tea with her feet up. Nanay gets her power back.