MAPA

On May 16, 2021, the emotional new single "MAPA" by Filipino pop group SB19 was released. It is the second lead single from SB19's upcoming second studio album. The group pointed out that "MAPA" is a combination of the words "mama" and "papa," and that it means "Map" in English. Josh, a member of SB19, said that Pablo was inspired by a lullaby his mother used to sing to him as a child and initially came up with the song. It was written, according to the band's leader Pablo, to "inspire others to be thankful for everything that our parents provided for us and to give back." In a press release, Pablo stated: "We published this song to convey appreciation and gratitude for helping us overcome all the trials and hardships that we've met growing up. It emphasizes that our parents serve as our guide and direction in life." SB19 also stated that they wanted to pay tribute to their loved ones because they had spent a lot of time apart from them on the concert tours before the epidemic.

It seems that the artists compose the song to show how it feels to have one's parents look after us. They compare our parents to a "map" which directs us to become the best versions of ourselves. Aside from the fact that the new song was released one week after May 7, the day the world celebrated Mother's Day. It isn’t only dedicated to all mothers, but the song serves as a tribute to all parents who provide us guidance as we grow up. Most especially to those single parents who have faced hardships a lot just to give everything what their child needed. As someone who grew up with a single parent, I’ve witnessed my mother work full time, experienced difficulties in life firsthand and how she fought against it while raising me alone just to be able to provide my necessities. This just shows how a parent would do anything for the sake of their child. I believe the least thing we can do for them is to treat their efforts with care and to keep them happy as well, since seeing us happy is already enough for them.

The pandemic has disrupted "normal" life as we know it, making it more difficult but also more crucial than ever for our daily routine. Some parents adjusted by watching their children while they worked, while others cut back on their workdays or took unpaid time off. Some others did, however, quit their jobs or lose them in order to take care of their children. We might not be aware of how many nights they went without food or how frequently they worked despite being ill in order to provide and educate us. With this song, this made me realize to always be grateful for our parents' sacrifices in order to provide us with the comfortable life they could not. Our efforts may be pale in comparison to what they did for us and perhaps still do on a daily basis. A little appreciation to our parents wouldn’t hurt, and even one day we could at least give back for their love and sacrifices.