The songs children sing, the characters they imitate, and the stories they ask to watch again become familiar parts of family life. For parents looking for Filipino content to share with their little ones, Musikwela offers a cast of puppet friends whose adventures explore respect, kindness, creativity, and caring for others.
This November, the online children’s show will introduce five new 30-minute episodes for National Children’s Month. Expect stories about making grandparents feel appreciated, building friendships, understanding differences, preparing for emergencies, and protecting nature—all presented through music, storytelling, puppetry, and animation.
The episodes are co-produced by Ideasquest, Inc. and the National Council for Children’s Television (NCCT), an attached agency of the Department of Education.
It began with a mother’s concern
Musikwela’s beginnings will sound familiar to parents who pay attention to the habits their children pick up from friends.
In 2014, founder and executive director Ellen Estrada noticed that her daughter’s classmates were no longer saying “po” and “opo.” It made her think about the children her daughter, Yumi, would grow up with—and what she could do to encourage these expressions of respect.
“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. I know I can write stories and make music. With our company, I have the resources that I need, so I just went to work and made a song about Po and Opo.”
As creative director and head of advertising boutique agency and animation studio Ideasquest, Inc., Estrada had the resources to turn her idea into a song. According to Musikwela, “Po at Opo” eventually reached 3.4 million views, while “Ang Bagong Alpabetong Filipino” reached 4.7 million.
The project grew to include stories about Filipino values, love for God and country, and respect for oneself, other people, and the environment. Since 2017, Musikwela has served as a resource for parents, teachers, and other educators, with its online content becoming particularly relevant during pandemic learning.
Meet your child’s new viewing companions
Musikwela is hosted by Ate Yumi and three puppets: Potpot, Lala, and Biboy. Together, they are known as the Musikscouts, or Musikwela Scouts.
Ate Yumi is played by Estrada’s daughter, Yumi Sansano. A multi-medalist at the 2019 World Championship of Performing Arts in Los Angeles, she earned the Champion of the World for Opera title in the Junior Division. She was also a Season 1 host of PTV 4’s children’s program Artsy Craftsy.
Each puppet has interests that young viewers may recognize in themselves.
Lala, the six-year-old pink, furry puppet, loves drawing and painting. Thoughtful and empathetic, she uses her imagination to make ordinary things colorful and meaningful. She also believes that caring should be shown through actions.
Five-year-old Biboy is the biggest but youngest of the three puppets. He enjoys gardening, looking after plants, tinkering, and experimenting with his discoveries.
Together with Ate Yumi, the characters encourage children to explore their interests and express themselves confidently.
What families can expect from the five episodes
The upcoming stories give parents several starting points for conversations with their children. Each episode explores its subject through a situation the Musikscouts experience together.
Grandparents’ Day: Showing Lolo and Lola they are loved
The Musikscouts are busy thinking of ways to make their grandparents feel special. As they prepare for Grandparents’ Day, the story explores gratitude, respect for elders, and the important role grandparents play in Filipino families.
For families watching together, this could lead to a simple question: “What would you like to do for Lolo or Lola?” A drawing, a song, or time spent together could be a child’s own way of responding to the story.
Campout Day: Learning from a new friend
When Potpot’s dog, Pawpaw, goes missing, the Musikscouts head out to find him with help from their new Aeta friend, Kuya JR.
Their adventure introduces them to the Philippines’ diverse Indigenous Peoples, cultures, traditions, and languages. Kuya JR’s knowledge and skills become essential to their journey, giving young viewers a story about learning from someone whose experiences may differ from their own.
Parents can use the episode to ask children what they learned from Kuya JR and which part of the adventure made them curious.
Talent Show: Confidence, friendship, and understanding differences
Shy Kiko finds the courage to share his singing voice with encouragement from the Musikscouts. Meanwhile, Lala connects with Gelo, a talented young artist with autism, through their shared love of painting.
With guidance from Best Buddies Philippines, Lala learns about Gelo’s sensory needs and discovers how friendship grows through empathy, acceptance, and making room for one another’s differences.
The story offers families a chance to discuss how children can encourage a hesitant friend and listen to what another person needs to feel comfortable.
Emergency Drill: Knowing what to do
The Musikscouts help Chuchay understand why it is important to prepare for fires, earthquakes, storms, and floods. Ate Yumi also explains how the Philippines’ location makes it particularly exposed to typhoons, earthquakes, and volcanic activity.
Practical lessons and teamwork introduce the importance of preparation, knowing what to do, and staying calm. After watching, parents can use the story to begin a conversation about their own family’s emergency plans.
Care for Mother Nature: Taking responsibility for our surroundings
A trip to the wetlands to see migratory birds becomes a chance for the Musikscouts to help clean and protect the area.
They learn about proper waste segregation, reducing, reusing, and recycling, and the role mangroves play in protecting and sustaining the environment.
The episode gives families a starting point for talking about how they handle waste at home and which everyday items they can reuse.
Watching together, then taking the conversation further
Estrada hopes Musikwela becomes something parents and children actively share.
“Technology is now a big part of our lives. There are also different parenting styles. I hope Musikwela becomes a family activity, where parents watch it together with their children. I also hope it will spark a child’s curiosity so that they will ask questions to their parents about the episode, do the same craft activity they saw on the show, or sing the songs together,” she says.
Before the five new episodes, Musikwela had already produced 13 videos, including animated songs and the documentary Ang Bayani at Ang Kanyang Sandok, which tells the story of food chemist and war heroine Maria Orosa.
The documentary received Best Documentary and Most Child-Friendly Documentary in the Adult Division of the NCCT’s 2023 DokyuBata Film Festival. It also earned the Special Jury Citation for Educational Documentary for Children at Baguio’s Montañosa Film Festival’s Pelik Ubbing.
Musikwela’s recent media launch took place at VS Cinema in Victoria Sports Tower 2, Quezon City, with support from Ceelin Gummies, Ceelin Immunped, Appebon, Allerkid, White Rabbit Philippines, Wildfire, Inc., Shop N Play, and Kontrata.ph.
Where to watch
The five new 30-minute episodes will be available this November on Musikwela’s Facebook, website, and YouTube. Families can also follow its Instagram and TikTok accounts.
For your next viewing session with the kids, get to know Ate Yumi and the Musikscouts. Then leave a little time for the questions, songs, or drawings your child wants to share afterward.
