Read an excerpt below on how Scarlet Snow Belo and her family are looking forward to a better future by doing better today.
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Vicki and Hayden are known to be generous, not just with their gifts but with their time and knowledge too. During the pandemic, the couple made their staff’s health and well-being a priority and temporarily closed their numerous aesthetic clinics, all while paying their full salary. When the COVID-19 vaccines became available, the couple threw themselves to supporting the government’s vaccination programs, going to the frontlines and doling out the vaccines themselves.
In a time when everyone was terrified to go out, when there was so much confusion about the nature of the disease, their family went about doing their part to help other people, to share their blessings. People were watching them. Most importantly, Scarlet was watching them. No doubt she’s learning from them and absorbing little things that, in the future, might lead to bigger ones.
“This pandemic also reminded us that not everything is within our control— and that’s okay,” Dr. Kho says. “We just need to live every single day with faith, humility, and lots of prayer. The way we are raising Scarlet, we emphasize to her that the nurture of her spirit ought to be the number one priority in her life. We want her to seek intimacy with God our Father so that no matter what happens, she can have the faith to trust Him even when she doesn’t see Him immediately working for her.”
BLESS THIS CHILD
The shoot with Scarlet was done remotely, as was the interview. This was done at the height of the omicron surge, the COVID-19 variant that proved to be so virulent that the shoot team kept changing, down to the last minute. Thankfully the precautions set about to protect the effervescent Scarlet Snow kept the six-year-old safe.
On our mobile and laptop screens, we watched as Scarlet slipped from one fairytale dress after another, sourced by the Belo’s trusted stylist Bang Pineda. The six-year-old is already at ease with the camera, used to big-time pro on screen, and in the few times we’ve met her in person, Scarlet always seemed older than her years.
It’s not just the physical, as she’s tall, like her towering father, but also because she speaks so confidently and clearly, more articulately than perhaps the average kid her age. Much has already been written about Scarlet’s coterie of private tutors, the extra-curricular classes she’s taken, but even without them, can we really expect any less from the youngest member of such a creative, intelligent and accomplished clan?
Each generation has to come to terms with the times they are given. No one wants to live in a time of darkness, no parent wants their kid to be without hope. Not everyone is called to be great in such challenging times, in fact, for many of us, simply surviving is more than enough. But in the case of Scarlet and her family, people who have had the burden of influence and leadership, it is a critical time. We need them to do more. Is it unfair to ask this from anyone, much less a child?
“First of all, we are just truly grateful for this blessing. We don’t take this for granted and we always ask ourselves what the meaning and purpose of all these are. We don’t think we’ll ever arrive at a definitive answer, but one thing for sure: we see it is as our duty that Scarlet Snow understands the principle of being ‘blessed to be a blessing,’” says Dr. Kho.
“That is, what will make all this fame and influence meaningful is if she can use it not for herself, but for others. Second, as a family we have three core values that we would like our name to represent: humility, integrity, and service… for HIS purpose. We try to live this out daily and model it to Scarlet so that she too would do the same.”
And while Vicki and Hayden guide her as she grows up, in return, the parents also continue to discover through Scarlet what living and leading responsibly truly means, Dr. Kho shares, “I think the most important lesson we can learn from children is to be truth-tellers. Kids tell it like they see it and feel it. Their communication may not be eloquent, but they’re always genuine in their delivery. They are the most essential and most affected stakeholders when talking about the future. We have to educate and train them while they’re young so that their energies would be used productively in creating innovations that would make a more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive world.”
From The Mouth Of Babes
Scarlet Snow answers some very important questions
1. WHO DO YOU THINK ARE GOOD LEADERS AND WHY DO YOU CHOOSE THEM?
Daddy, mommy, and God. “I choose God because not just because He is powerful and He can do anything, but also because he is our good Father in heaven and he always wants what is best for us. That’s why He should be followed all the time. Daddy naman because he’s my daddy, and Mommy because she is my mommy. They’re very good in leading me and I really like following them.”
2. IF YOU WERE THE LEADER OF THE PHILIPPINES, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO AND WHY?
I would make the people stop putting bad things into the ocean that hurt that sharks and the turtles and the fishes. I want the sea animals to be safe so that we peoples will be safe too. Like when the fisherman catch fish they won’t catch dead fish and sell it in the market.
“Good leaders should always know the right things to do, then teach us the right to do, then be an example to us. They should protect our forests and our oceans. They shouldn’t be greedy.”
Scarlet Snow Belo
3. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY TO THE OTHER KIDS WHO LOOK UP TO YOU?
This is a hard one. First I want to say “thank you,” and also I want to tell them to always love the Philippines and take care of the Philippines. “I know we’re still small but we can show we love our country by, for example, always putting trash in the trash can. Oh, and also I want to tell them to always, always obey their parents and pray for them like they pray for us.”
4. LASTLY, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE MOST LIKE—YOUR MOM OR YOUR DAD? WHY?
Both. Why? Because if I say Daddy, Mommy will get hurt and if say Mommy, Daddy will get hurt. I’m like Daddy because we have them same eyebrows and same forehead. I’m also like Daddy because I love Jesus and I like talking to Him. Mommy naman I’m like her because we both love to bake and we are both chatty.
5. WHAT DOES A “GOOD LEADER” LOOK AND ACT LIKE?
You can be young; you could be old; you could be tall or small, or round or tiny, or a man or a woman, or rich or poor. Whatever you are or look like, if you are kind and honest and humble, you can be a leader. What’s important is that you have a good heart. You have to love God and love other people
6. HOW CAN A LEADER HELP YOU AND THE NEXT GENERATION TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE?
Good leaders should always know the right things to do, then teach us the right to do, then be an example to us. They should protect our forests and our oceans. They shouldn’t be greedy, and they should put greedy people who disobey rules in jail so that they will learn a lesson.
They should also be honest and humble, not like Anansi, the spider. Do you know him? He was a spider who was proud of his sneaky ways and wanted all animals to talk about him. Leaders shouldn’t be like Anansi, the spider.
7. WHAT SHOULD CHILDREN AND ADULTS DO TO CREATE OR CHOOSE BETTER LEADERS?
You can choose a good leader by their actions because, you know, actions speak louder than words. Someone can say, “I’m good, so you should choose me,” but when you look at their actions, they’re not really good. Or they’re good but only good in doing bad things.
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You can choose a good leader by their actions because, you know, actions speak louder than words. Voting doesn’t happen in one day. It happens on many days because we need to investigate…If they’re bad, don’t vote for them. If they’re good, then definitely vote for them. If there are no good candidates, then whoever wins, we should help them to be good.
”
Scarlet Snow Belo
That’s why me, I will investigate. Voting doesn’t happen in one day. It happens on many days because we need to investigate. If they’re bad, don’t vote for them. If they’re good, then definitely vote for them. If there are no good candidates, then whoever wins, we should help them to be good.
Read more about Scarlet Snow Belo and her hopes for the new generation in MEGA’s Anniversary 2021 issue now available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio.
Photography EXCEL PANLAQUE of STUDIO 100
Creative direction JANN PASCUA
Styling BANG PINEDA assisted by HARLEY GRAJO
Hair MITCH GALLITO
Shoot coordination MJ ALMERO and KZ FRANCISCO
Special thanks to DRA. VICKI BELO and DR. HAYDEN KHO
