The Music of my Life IV

In the years that followed, the music of my life became more and more the music of the Philippines. Maybe it was because of the first radio shows I presented. The music archive was full of Filipino music, but it was rarely broad-casted. I thought that was a shame.

I asked myself: What makes Filipino music unique? My radio colleagues gave me an answer: such is the case of Philippine music which until today is regarded as a unique blending of two great musical traditions – the East and the West. ... The majority of Philippine Music revolves around cultural influences from the West, due primarily to the Spanish and American rule for over three centuries.

I learned from musicologist and professor of the University of the Philippines, College of Music, that after studying abroad, modern methods of composition were employed by Eliseo Pajaro and Lucresia Kasilag. Both were strongly influenced by American neoclassicism. Jose Maceda is considered the first legitimate Filipino avant-garde composer. He was the first Filipino composer to succeed in liberating Philippine musical expression from the colonial European mould of symphonies, sonatas, and concertos. Among the younger generation of composers, the first to respond to the challenges of new music were Francisco Feliciano and Ramon Santos. A still younger set of composers, all students of Ramon P. Santos includes Josefino Toledo, Ruben Federizon, Verne de la Pena, Arlene Chongson, and Jonas Baes. Since the 1950’s to the present, the trend of serious musical compositions in the Philippines has been towards a synthesis of traditional concepts of  structure, of time, of space, of melody, of performance medium with the new and experimental techniques.

Then, I met Ryan Cayabyab (born Raymundo Cipriano Pujante Cayabyab; May 4, 1954), also known as Mr. C - a Filipino musician, composer and conductor. His compositional style makes much use of syncopation, extended chords, and chromatic harmony. He was the Executive and Artistic Director for several years for the defunct San Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts. He was named as National Artist of the Philippines for Music in 2018. His musical output consists of several masses, award winning film and television scores, short symphonic works, ten full-length Filipino musicals, a major opera, full length ballets, solo and instrumental works, orchestrations of Filipino folk, popular and love songs. I was fascinated by his stage performances.

[Ryan Cayabyab]

During her Europe tour, Imelda Papin crossed my way. Imelda Arcilla Papin (born January 26, 1956) -  a Filipino singer and one of the bigger names in the Philippine music industry. Dubbed the "Sentimental Songstress", Imelda Papin is responsible for songs such as "Bakit (Kung Liligaya Ka Sa Piling Ng Iba)" and "Isang Linggong Pag-ibig".

[Imelda Papin]

[Rico Puno]

In 2018, legend Rico Puno died. I experienced him, the foul-mouthed macho guapito and total entertainer, as he was described in 2005 during his performances in the Apo View Hotel in Davao City. "Grabe". The "Godfather of  Pinoy Soul passed away too early.

My encounters with Filipino music of all kinds were so colorful with the colors of a rainbow. During some of my stays in Manila, the Madrigal Singers performed the Philippine and German National Anthem. Goosebumps ... .

During their first performance in Berlin, I got tears in my eyes ... 

Filipino pop music, otherwise known as Original Pilipino Music or OPM, refers broadly to the pop music that first emerged in the Philippines in the early ’70s and has since come to dominate radio airplay and karaoke playlists in the Filipino market and beyond. But my radio shows brought me back to the classics by Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Liszt, Bach, Händel and more and more. 

(To be continued)

How culturally different is The Philippines from the rest of Southeast Asia today?

Bisaya

Barok and Takya Blog | Bisaya Podcast

Although the Philippines are primarily influenced by mainstream Asian culture, Filipinos proudly identify as unique from continental Asia's oppressive history. From not allowing Christian influences to enter until Spanish colonization to winning a bloody war against American colonization, Filipinos learned from their own mistakes and have an innate understanding of self-determination--something that often eludes other Southeast Asian countries. And with more than 100 distinct languages and almost 7000 local dialects, we're not limited to one set of cultural values any more than we are one language.

This is what most appeals to me about living here--the ability to experience national pride without feeling like I'm sacrificing my individuality or having my lifestyle decisions dictated by an oppressively narrow society."

Cruising in these tricky times

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          IN the Gospel, there is a part where Christ laments about

people seemingly knowing a lot of things and yet failing to read the

signs of the times and, thus, failing to make proper judgments and

unprepared to meet our Creator. (cfr. Lk 12,54-59) “You know how to

interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know

how to interpret the present time?” he asked.

          With this lamentation, Christ is actually asking us to learn

how to properly read the signs of the times or how things are going in

general, so that we can become men and women of good judgment and

direct ourselves to our proper end, which is none other than to be

with God in heaven for all eternity, as he wants us to be.

          Obviously, to be able to properly read the signs of the

times is no easy task, especially these days. Given the multiplying

forces and influences that go into our current culture, reading the

signs of the times has become a formidable task that approaches the

level of a nightmare.

          And precisely because of our complex, intricate and puzzling

world, this task has become more necessary. We need to stay away from

the grip of ignorance, confusion, error, the ingredients of perdition.

          Still, not everything is lost and beyond hope. The amount of

information, given our ever-developing technologies, is not only

massive and profound but is also much easier to access now.

          Besides, we are never lacking of people with great

potentials to effectively undertake this delicate task. We just need

to discover them and seek their help.

          What we need at present is the discipline to have an abiding

concern to read the signs of the times. This is no simple thing, since

it’s not just a matter of attitude, habits and skills, though they

figure prominently in this task.

          Yes, we need to learn how to collect data, compare notes,

dialogue with different parties, consult experts, study, reflect, make

conclusions and plan, etc., but all these are not enough.

          Rather, this discipline in the end depends on our living

contact and relationship with what we consider as our God, what we

regard as our ultimate source of light and understanding.

          Only then can we truly become men and women of sound

judgment. There is obviously a theoretical and practical side to this

affair. For one, we need to study the moral principles and the

doctrine of our faith as thoroughly as possible. We should aim at

nothing less than becoming masters and experts in this field, since

these principles and doctrine are indispensable. We should not have

second thoughts on this.

          We have to realize that this study should be an ongoing and

continuing concern, ever deepening and refining our understanding of

these principles and doctrine, such that we can distinguish the

nuances and fine points, and that they become part of our mentality.

          Together with study and meditation, we need to grow in the

virtues and to avail of the sacraments that keep us in the state of

grace. We should not be theoretical and intentional only. We have to

incarnate and express outwardly the things that we have learned in our

ongoing formation.

          Let’s realize that we can only see, judge and know persons,

events and things properly when we have a vibrant interior or

spiritual life, a vital link not only with theories and principles,

but with God himself.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Access to education in Brgy. Singapore now a reality

Barely after 30 days, Barangay Singapore’s call for a learning institution is finally answered.

On October 12, 2021, the provincial government of Davao de Oro officially turned over the One (1) unit, two (2) classroom buildings for the residents of the special barangay, making adequate access to education available for the community.

Putting up a school situated in higher ground was made possible through the coordination of PLGU-DdO with the Department of Education, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, LGU-Mabini, provincial employees and other stakeholders who relentlessly partake in the bayanihan build.

The community’s geographical location does not impede the “Bayanihan Spirit’, wherein hinterlands province-wide were given access to education for inclusive growth. Without settling for the bare minimum, PLGU-DdO continues to provide access for other necessities of its people such as water systems, farm-to-market roads, community electrification and livelihoods.

 

“Pag-abot sa kalsada, ikaduha ang kuryente, aduna nay dakong kausaban dinhi sa among komunidad. Ang among mga katawhan madasig na ug magbalay na dinhi sa Singapore kay duna namay mga dagkong kausaban. Dako usab namong kalipay ug pasalamat sa gobyerno kay gipatukuran nami diri ug eskwelahan, diin dili na maglisod ang mga bata ug baba para lang maka eskwela.” said Brgy. Captain Mauricio Paican.

Special Barangay Singapore was once inhabited by communists’ group, prohibiting progress to flourish in the remote community for years, and now that insurgency province-wide have declined in great figures, residents in the community starts to benefit government interventions.

 

"Ang atuang pamaagi sa pagwala sa insurhensiya, dili pinaagi sa gyera, kundili pamaagi sa paghatag ug kaayuhan sa katawhan nga maoy mag protektar sa ilahang komunidad. Singapore is a very good example, kini usa ka komunidad nga nag-hugpong o nagtinabangay para sa kaugmaon sa kabataan nato dinhi.” said Governor Uy.

Furthermore, the provincial government plans to construct an access road from Mabugnao, Maragusan to Anitapan, Mabini which will open opportunities for tourism, direct delivery of produce from local farmers to markets, and will also ignite future developments for the benefit of the residents.

 (Jasteen Abella, Information Division, Davao de Oro)