As the only child set to assume the mantle, Cai (Barbie Imperial) is provided with a good life. But despite the fortune and material things she got and a seemingly long list of things to be grateful for, she remains unhappy. At the end of the day, all these fleeting perfection isn’t what she longs for. All she wants to feel is her parents’ love and acceptance. We rounded up the scenes showing how Cai fights for her parents’ approval in Bagong Umaga.
Cai lived her life trying to please her parents and deal with the pressure of following their footsteps as renowned doctors. The lofty expectations only bring her sadness and keep her chasing Ely (Tony Labrusca), the only friend who seems to understand. But even Ely had to leave and distance himself from her.
The good thing is her Lola Hilda (Rio Locsin) is there, keeping her sane by giving her the comfort she badly needs. However, there are moments when her parents, Maggie (Sunshine Cruz) and Ian (Cris Villanueva), forbid her from getting near Hilda.
For some reason, she struggles to exceed, let alone meet, her parents’ expectations. She would always get poor grades and even secretly cheated for the medical school’s entrance exam just to get in. Her poor scholastic performances and awful decisions in life trigger Maggie and Ian’s frustrations. They wanted a perfect daughter but Cai and her efforts are not enough to please them.
It doesn’t help that Ian is either busy with work or just there acting aloof. Maggie is constantly present – sometimes to guide Cai but more often to monitor her actions and make a tally of her mistakes.
The pressure ignited her rebellion and defiance at one point. She resorted to heavy drinking to escape her problems and cope with frustrations, leading up to foolish actions. She got a taste of Ian’s punishment. But what crushed her more was hearing his words of massive disdain. Ian expressed disappointment over having Cai as a daughter.
There was a scene where she felt proud after sneaking into Siglo’s office to take important documents that will help Ian escape some legal problems. She expected to receive his praises and gratitude but she didn’t. He mocked her decision-making skills instead. He said Cai only proved her ignorance by taking such risks.
It turns out her mom also suffers from the same internal battles of insecurities and not feeling enough. And just like her mom, she can’t seem to win Ian’s love.
Follow Cai’s story in the Kapamilya afternoon soap Bagong Umaga, shown every Monday to Friday after It’s Showtime on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, and A2Z Channel 11.
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