Senator Alan Peter Cayetano celebrated Valentine’s week by sharing with Filipinos the foundations of strong relationships through his daily Facebook livestream, ‘CIA 365 with Kuya Alan.’
From February 14 to 16, Kuya Alan offered insights on trust, respect, and the importance of spending quality time with loved ones.
Trust as the foundation
“Wala kasing relationship kung walang tiwala,” the senator said, emphasizing that trust is essential in all relationships, whether with family, friends, or even God.
He explained that trust is strengthened by deepening one’s understanding of the other person, similar to how faith in God grows by knowing more about His character.
“Know God more. And as you know God more, you will trust God more,” he said.
Use vs abuse
Cayetano also discussed the importance of respect, urging viewers to recognize the fine line between healthy interdependence and manipulation.
He noted that when one person constantly gives while the other only takes, it creates an unhealthy dynamic.
“We’re here to help each other. I truly believe that all of us are born as solutions to problems… It’s OK to be used, but it’s not OK to be abused,” he said.
Quality time in today’s world
The senator further emphasized that beyond material things, simply “being together” is what truly matters in relationships.
He particularly addressed the struggles of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), pointing out that despite modern communication tools, face-to-face interactions remain irreplaceable.
“Ang kailangan talagang pagtulung-tulungan is to stop just lip service and saying that OFWs are VIPs. In the end, we must create high-paying jobs in the Philippines,” he said.
Cayetano also highlighted the toll long commuting hours take on families, saying that time spent on the road could be better used together.
“Kung ang tao ay nasa kalye for four hours a day—two hours papunta sa trabaho, two hours pabalik — at least half of that, two hours more sana with family,” he said.
To free up more time for Filipinos, he proposed moving away from the “utak-kotse” approach and improving the country’s mass transport systems instead, such as building more railways.
“Kung titignan n’yo ang topic natin, parang walang kapuli-politika – relationships. Pero kung sinong iboto natin at ano priority n’ung iboboto natin, kotse ba nila or mass transportation, may effect sa relationship natin ‘yan,” he said.
“Relationships are unavoidable, but they make life beautiful,” he added.
Through ‘CIA 365 with Kuya Alan’, the senator continues to offer daily reflections on faith, governance, and personal growth via his official Facebook page.
