Tayong Dalawa

“Some people live for the fortune
Some people live just for the fame
Some people live for the power yeah
Some people live just to play the game”

-Alicia Keys

When I initial read the question, this soap opera of the Kapamilya tv program came in my mind, known as “Tayong Dalawa”. It shows a battle of wealth, happiness, and sorrow that engraved into the lives of the main characters of the story. The show begins by recounting the parallel stories of Marlene and Ingrid. Though they come from different strata of the social ladder, the two women have one thing in common -- they both loved David Garcia. But because of Marlene's profession as a prostitute, David chooses to marry Ingrid and cuts all ties with Marlene. Both Ingrid and Marlene get pregnant, and both give their son the same name: David Garcia, Jr. Marlene calls her son JR, while Ingrid calls hers Dave.

The parallelism of the lives of Marlene and Ingrid continues in the lives of their sons, who meet and become best friends without knowing about their intertwined lives. Both men go to the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City to train as cadets. However, like their mothers, they also fall in love with the same person, Audrey King.

The plot thickens when the characters discovery that JR is the son of Dave's father. Ingrid is appalled by this revelation primarily because she has been against her son's friendship with JR from the very beginning. With this, she begins to revert to the suicidal tendencies she developed in her childhood. Despite his wife's response, Garcia Sr. promises to provided for JR and his family to make up for the years he wasn't there for them. To make things worse, David Garcia Sr. is killed and the two families he left behind had to sort things out for themselves.

Many things Ingrid and Marlene come in parallel. Especially when they struggle for the love of one man, there set foot the battle of two mothers who desire to give the best for their family. They showed the viewers why do some people derive pleasure from the misfortunes of those who are exceedingly blessed than they are. Their happiness comes from the misery of the other. Whenever one is in depth of her problems, the other sees it as a blessing. Also, most of the time, they were the one who gives problem to that of the other.

These two characters of “Tayong Dalawa” only reflect the lives of many people today who wants to be ahead on someone more blessed than they are. As a resolution, we should not view the misfortunes of others who we think are more blessed than us because this will not be a basis of our true happiness. Instead, be happy for them and view it us an opportunity or an inspiration for us to be like them.