Pinoy Movie Lines That Teach You To Be Money-Savvy

Filipino movies are in a league of their own when it comes to linyahans and hugots. A lot of these one-liners have been immortalized in popular culture, whether as memes or apt rebuttals to various real-life situations. They can be wisecracks, but they can be really wise at times.

But a few iconic Filipino movie lines can actually make you do a double take at your finances and personal goals. They resonate well with you that you ask yourself if you’re doing things right or you’re on the right track. And that’s a good thing, especially if you have long-term plans in life. Nevertheless, you can benefit from such epiphanies even if you’re not much of a planner.

Here are some of the Filipino movie lines that can give you lessons on personal finance and career. Note that there could be some spoilers, so proceed at your own risk.

Iconic Filipino Movie Lines That Will Make You Rethink Your Financial Goals

What Money Can Buy You in "Hello, Love, Goodbye"

What is the Film About?

The highest-grossing Filipino movie of all time, "Hello, Love, Goodbye" (2019) tells the story of two overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong: Joy Fabregas played by Kathryn Bernardo and Ethan Del Rosario played by Alden Richards. The two meet and fall in love while dealing with their own personal battles. If you’re intrigued by the plot, "Hello, Love, Goodbye" is one of the Pinoy movies in 2022 that you can watch on Netflix.

Money-Savvy Movie Line from "Hello, Love, Goodbye"

They say money can’t buy happiness. But after hearing this gut-wrenching line uttered by Joy, you’ll be confronted by the fact that money can do a lot of wonders. It can actually buy people’s happiness, from food to various sparkly things.

Even if you don’t view money through that lens, you know that money can actually afford you the privilege of choice. If you have the money, you may choose not to work anymore. If you have the money, you have the option to travel abroad for leisure a few times a year. The list just goes on and on.

The bottom line is, for you to have money, you need to work. This may sound harsh, but that’s how the system in place operates. While we can’t change the status quo yet, one will need to work hard to enjoy the privilege of choice.

If anything, this reality inspires a lot of people to be madiskarte, take side gigs, or acquire new skills to make themselves more marketable.

The Value of Hard Work in "Kita Kita"

What is the Film About?

This 2017 sleeper hit, which some critics consider as one of the best rom-coms in the Philippines in the past two decades,^[1] tells the story of Lea (played by Alessandra de Rossi), a Filipino tour guide living in Japan, and her friendship with her neighbor Tonyo (played Empoy Marquez). Lea goes blind after witnessing the infidelity of her Japanese fiancé. She then becomes friends with Tonyo and the two eventually fall in love.

If you're an #AlemPoy fan, you can rewatch the highest-grossing Pinoy indie movie on Netflix this 2022.

Money-Savvy Movie Line from "Kita Kita"

You can very well consider this line by Tonyo as among the simplest yet most memorable Filipino movie lines. The wisdom is easy to spot: nothing ever comes easy.

We can learn a lot from self-made businesspeople. What we see on the surface front is their success. But behind that are countless sleepless nights, soul-crushing failures, debts, and even strained relationships.

Success requires a lot of work, and if you really want to achieve that, you will have to go beyond creating vision boards. You may find yourself attending online business classes during weekends instead of watching Netflix. You may have to take on bigger responsibilities and prove to your boss that you’re independent to get that promotion. You get the drift.

Related article: 8 Pinoy Movie Sites to Keep You and Your Loved Ones Entertained

What It Takes to Gain Financial Freedom in "Everything About Her"

What is the Film About?

This 2016 movie features Vilma Santos as Vivian, a successful real estate mogul, and Angel Locsin as Jaica, a goal-driven nurse. Vivian learns that she is suffering from Stage 3 cancer, so she hires a private nurse who will take care of her. That happens to be Jaica. Their contrasting personalities draw the audience in; Vivian can be straightforward and mean while Jaica is patient and persistent. Nevertheless, they both learn important lessons from each other.

Money-Savvy Movie Line from "Everything About Her"

Some Filipino movie lines tend to be cheesy and don’t offer insights with real-life application. But Vivian’s lines in this movie are just practical. They are worthy of being remembered by everyone who wants to secure a stable future.

Financial freedom is more than just a buzzword thrown away by entrepreneurs and insurance sales agents.^[2] It means being self-sufficient and not being a burden to your family. But it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes proper planning and working with the right people. And it even requires a budget, depending on your goals.

If this particular scene in the movie offers any consolation, that is it’s not too late to start planning your financial freedom.

Living Within Your Means in "Kimmy Dora: Kambal sa Kiyeme"

What’s the film about?

The movie that launched Eugene Domingo and turned her into a household name, "Kimmy Dora" is a story of two ultra-rich identical twins named Kimmy and Dora (both played by Domingo) who have a strained relationship. What moves the film’s plot forward is the abduction of Kimmy due to a misunderstanding. Think of this 2009 movie as a sibling rivalry, albeit funny and refreshing at the time of its release.

Money-Savvy Movie Line from "Kimmy Dora"

At one point in 2009 (or until now), the line “Do you work here?” became very popular among comedy fans who had finally recognized the genius of Eugene Domingo. It perfectly pictures the image of Kimmy GoDongHae, the domineering heiress of the GoDongHae empire. For those who haven’t seen Kimmy Dora yet, Kimmy speaks these sharp words after spotting a supposedly rank-and-file employee wearing the same high-end dress as hers.

The comedy of “Do you work here?” lies in Kimmy’s subsequent action: she fires her employee. While Kimmy’s reason that isn’t justified, it somehow gives us as an insight into living within one’s means.

Kimmy is right. Why do we sometimes try hard to afford something that is actually a few times worth our salary? Maybe that’s because credit cards make such purchases much easier. But then again, it raises another important issue: we buy expensive things to impress other people, and we turn to credit cards to make that possible.

This is not to say that you’re not supposed to buy big-ticket purchases using your credit card. But sometimes, you need to sort out your priorities.  

Why Just Wanting Something Isn't Enough in "The Mistress"

What is the Film About?

Featuring accomplished actors Bea Alonzo, John Lloyd Cruz, and Ronaldo Valdez, "The Mistress" (2012) is a story of a young woman named Sari (played by Alonzo) who is torn between two lovers. Rico (played by Valdez), a married old man, has been keeping Sari as his mistress for years. JD (played by Cruz), Sari’s other lover,  is determined to win Sari’s heart despite the titular character’s difficult situation.

Money-Savvy Movie Line from "The Mistress"

Bea Alonzo delivers some of the most pointed Filipino movie lines. This one hits close to home because a lot of us have experienced the pain of not getting the things that we really want, be it the love of the person that we pine for or the promotion that we think we deserve.

At any rate, what Sari said isn’t the absolute truth. You can look at it from a different perspective. Maybe it’s not enough that we just want something.

If we really want it, we'll work hard for it. For instance, if you really want that promotion, you should show what you’re capable of. And if that doesn’t work, you should start to negotiate. And if that still doesn’t work, maybe you need to resign. You’re probably meant for greater things.

Business Lessons in "It Takes a Man and a Woman"

What is the Film About?

Released in 2013, the film is about Miggy Montenegro (John Lloyd Cruz) and Laida Magtalas (Sarah Geronimo) working in the same company named Flippage after their break-up. This is to acquire the international magazine title MEG as part of their publishing company's portfolio.

Money-Savvy Movie Lines from "It Takes a Man and a Woman"

When establishing a business, you need to earn the trust of your colleagues and customers on how you can earn more money.

This can go as far as when you're setting up a side hustle to increase your income. If you are planning to sell retail goods, trust plays a big role in your earning potential. People won't buy products from a person they don't trust.

The same goes for when you'll sell financial products. Always check if any professional offering banking or investment products has a license from the Insurance Commission or the company they're representing. Check the portfolio of the company and how long they've been in the market. Get-rich-quick scams are always tempting, but would you really trust a shady individual or organization with your hard-earned money?

You’ve probably heard this already: your network is your net worth.^[3] The right people can give you opportunities that will help you advance in life or achieve your goals. This is why it’s important to build professional connections, whether on LinkedIn or even at trade shows.

Your connections are also among the things that make you valuable. That’s why in the movie, Miggy is so persistent to work with Laida who has ties to New York’s publishing world.

OFW Financial Struggles in "Sunday Beauty Queen"

What is the Film About?

"Sunday Beauty Queen" (2016) is a documentary about Filipina domestic helpers who are breadwinners for their families left back in the Philippines. The film doesn't depict domestic helpers as helpless Filipinos but as empowered individuals who make a living to improve their families' lives back home.

Money-Savvy Filipino Movie Lines from "Sunday Beauty Queen"

Achieving financial freedom is not easy wherever you work or put up your business. Most Filipinos who aspire to go abroad think that a glamorous life is waiting for them there—where you'll earn a lot of money and afford all the luxuries that a local salary rate cannot afford.

This is not the case all the time. There are a lot of OFWs who are working 15-17-hour work days, so they can earn a salary to send money to their relatives in the Philippines.  Some even scrimp on themselves because while the salary abroad is high, the cost of living is also higher.

You'll find abundance in whatever job or business you have, as long as you do your best. It would be unrealistic to aim for a comfortable life if you do not work hard to achieve it.

Financial sacrifices such as delayed gratification are integral to reaching financial freedom. Being an OFW can bring a lot of emotional challenges that can test us during trying times. The key is thinking about your goal and going for the gold.

This goes hand-in-hand with the lesson that families in the Philippines shouldn't depend fully on their relatives abroad for all their expenses here. This will foster a sense of financial responsibility for everyone in the family.

Choosing Financial Priorities in "My Lady Boss"

What is the Film About?

"My Lady Boss" (2013) is about Zach (Richard Gutierrez), a young professional, who looks for a job outside their family business to get back on the good side of his rich grandfather. Later on, he got accepted as the assistant of Evelyn (Marian Rivera) who is a terrifying brand manager.

Money-Savvy Movie Lines from "My Lady Boss"

At one point in your life, you'll have multiple financial responsibilities that force you to choose which expenses are the most important. There will be tough decisions to be made to reach your financial goals. The key is knowing when to say no and when to get the most out of any given opportunity.

As the famous saying goes, you can afford anything but cannot afford everything at the same time. What you can do to get the best out of any situation is to assess which expenses to prioritize.

See also:

• 10 Important Money Lessons from Money Heist
• What “All of Us Are Dead” Has Taught Us About Life and Money

Final Thoughts

A lot of Filipino movies are as entertaining as they are inspiring. They have a lot of lessons that can be applied to real life. Thanks to their wisdom, some memorable Filipino movie lines may be something that you want to remember in case you’re dealing with a difficult situation or making an important financial decision.

Sources:

• ^[1] The Best 25 Rom-Coms of the Last 25 Years (CNN, 2020)
• ^[2] 8 Qualities That Make a Good Insurance Agent (Investopedia, 2021)
• ^[3] Six Tips for Networking in the New World of Work (Forbes, 2021)