Kanta Calls is something I'm very proud of. It's a heartwarming and funny digital effort made by BBDO- Guerrero for our 10 million Pinoys working abroad. It's also an easy way for the millions of OFW kids (like me) to send some love to their hardworking parents abroad.

So what is a Kanta Call? 
Bayantel had us create an application where Filipinos in the Philippines could send a musical call to any Filipino overseas. Just go the site. Pick a genre: Hip-hop. Traditional ballad or Power ballad. Personalize your lyrics. Type in your loved one’s phone number. Then at a time of your choosing, their phones will ring and they’d hear their very own personalized song. And yes, it's absolutely free!

http://www.kantacalls.com.ph/

When we were conceptualized this, I really thought of my parents who have been working abroad for more than 25 years. My dad is a pharmacist who moved to Saudi Arabia as a young man. There, he met a bewitching nurse who captured his heart. Eventually, they wed and had me and my brother. Now, they're based in the States and I see them once a year. People who have never lived abroad can take for granted the sacrifices our overseas Filipino workers make to be able to support their families. I'm glad that I grew up in Saudi Arabia because I've experienced those things firsthand. I'm so grateful to my folks Ruben and Emma. This one's for you Poppy and Mumsky!


Try it out. My friends have been cracking up to the crowd-pleasing Rap version. But being a little old-fashioned, I prefer the Kundiman.




A big shout out to the talented people in our agency who made this possible: Pia Roxas, Corey Cruz, Karen Gosingan, Racquel Narciso, Paul Guadalupe, and Sheena Siao. I hope I didn't miss anyone.