The hilarious banter between Dubai-based radio presenter Kris Fade and his longtime nanny, Ginia, over a simple stalk of moringa or ‘malunggay’ has become an internet sensation, captivating netizens worldwide.
The heartwarming exchange unfolded when Kris playfully questioned Ginia about the origin of the green stalk she brought home after a walk. Kris asked Ginia what the stalk was and where it was from. Ginia answered that it was malunggay, a nutritious green commonly used in Filipino dishes. The seemingly ordinary interaction took a delightful turn when Ginia, with a touch of humor, revealed the malunggay was from their neighbor.
‘You’re stealing from the neighbor?’ asked Kris to which Ginia replied that she even boldly took it ‘in front of their camera.’
Sharing this charming moment on Instagram, Kris posted the video with a caption that humorously read, “I’d like to apologize to our neighbors 😂”.
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Little did they anticipate that the video would resonate so profoundly with audiences across the globe.
The video quickly amassed an impressive 27.4k heart reactions and garnered over a thousand comments from amused netizens.
Among the respondents was digital content creator and singer Sam Mangubat, who amusingly commented, “That’s how healthy it is!! Worth stealing.”
In an exclusive interview with The Filipino Times, Kris Fade and Ginia delved deeper into their one-of-a-kind employee-nanny relationship that has turned into a source of positivity on social media.
Kris explained that sharing their interactions on social media started accidentally.
“I kept seeing her bring malunggay and didn’t know what this was. So I’m always I’m interested, and so I asked the question and I filmed it, we got the answer and put it on social media, and then next thing you know a million people liked it,” said Kris.
Another video of Kris with Ginia that went viral was when she brought fresh fruits and vegetables to Kris’ home from her vacation from the Philippines.
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“Learning about how, especially the Filipinos, they’re very loving towards their family and they also bring back food from their home country to me. She always brings back fruits and vegetables which I absolutely love. And I know there are good mangoes and bananas in the Philippines well,” shared Kris.
Kris shared that Ginia plays a big role in managing their home and even considers her the ‘heartbeat of the Fade household.’
“Ginia helps us with everything. So Ginia and Auntie, they run the household from helping the kids get ready to go to school to you know makeup lunch to clean the house to just I don’t Yeah, they’d like everything that the heartbeat of the Fade household without them, the household does not work,” shared Kris.
He also considers Ginia as a reflection of Filipinos’ optimism and dedication at work.
“She’s helped me raise my children. She’s always positive but actually, I find that the Filipino community is always positive and that makes me blessed to be able to have Virginia and her sister Marilyn, working alongside our family for many years. Without her, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do in this in this country. So I’m grateful and blessed,” said Kris.
Kris also shared that their videos reflect how he wants others to treat everyone in their homes.
“I think it’s just to showcase the relationship that you should be having with your family, your nannies, whoever it is that’s in that household. Everyone has the same laughter everyone has the same respect towards one another. And you know, I’d love to see that in more households or just across the UAE but across the world, especially when it comes to you know, getting assistance for your family. You know, Virginia and her sister are there with my kids, sometimes more than I am. You know, they give them the love and affection. So I want to make sure that I repay that. And you know, I’m hoping that these videos inspire other people to do so,” said Kris.
Kris also shared that he loves how optimistic and hardworking Filipinos are.
“The Filipino community is just so positive, always laughing, and always happy. No matter how hard times can be they always look on the bright side and I find that Virginia and Auntie do that all the time. And you know, as I said, I’m just blessed that God put us together,” said Kris.
Like any other day at Fade’s household
Ginia said that she was surprised with the amount of attention their videos have been getting, saying that their fun interaction is normal in Kris’ household.
“When I found out that it was on the internet at all and had millions of views, I was surprised. Because, I’m a very homebody person, I’m not on Instagram, and I’m always behind with everything happening in the Philippines, I get shocked when they say I’m famous. Now everyone knows me because of the videos. Sometimes, I walk in the street and they ask me, ‘So, what products did you bring from the Philippines? Can I have any? When I asked them how did you know? Oh, it’s from your boss, they say,” shared Virginia.
Ginia, originally from Iloilo, shared that she’s been in Dubai for nearly 14 years. She said that working with Kris has been a blessing. She stayed longer than she initially planned.
She conveyed, “Life is not easy, but always work hard and show your best to the family where you work. Embrace your work and treasure the opportunity to have a job. Stay strong, have faith, and always be happy, no matter the challenges.”
Ginia concluded the interview by thanking Kris, saying: “Thank you for everything. I’m grateful for the help, especially during challenging times like the typhoon that hit my city in 2013 when I was left with nothing and when my sister died of cancer. Kris has been a big support, and I consider him and his family as my own. I’m lucky to have worked with him for nearly 14 years.
