Gensan Tunafest gets better and better each year, says Chiz

 

One of the most awaited programs of the series of events in Gensan’s Tuna Festival is the Fishtahan sa Fishport on September 6^th. It showcases simultaneous games held in different venues (markets) in the city’s Fishport complex. Gracing the affair were Congressman Pedro Acharon Jr., Mayor Darlene Custodio and Senator Chiz Escudero.  

Sen. Escudero heads the Senate Committees on Justice and Human Rights, Joint Oversight Committees on Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Clean Air Act, and Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. He spent the entire morning visiting the market sites for tuna catch (it’s working day as usual), taking time to pose for photos and chat with the fisherfolks, vendor and fish port officials.

A brief press conference was held during lunch time. The well-loved senator answered all questions straight to the point. He discussed issues on Pnoy’s RAT Plan, state of agriculture and the environment, the new appointments for DILG and DOJ and the legacy of his father that he intends to uphold as a public servant- that is, the legacy of a good name and public service.  He ended the presscon with a remark that the Tuna Festival gets better and better each year and he won’t be surprised when the event would level-up once more, next year.

i was right- UGAT rocked!

in celebration of the glorious decades in pinoy music history, great pinoy folk rock artists performed together for the first time in a one-night concert dubbed ugat: ang himig natin. 

the concert, (december 3rd at the araneta coliseum) featured the juan dela cruz band (mike hanopol, pepe smith, wally gonzales), lolita carbon of asin, sampaguita, heber bartolome (and banyuhay), and florante (certified pasimpleng comic-walang kupas). 

manong gary granada and noel cabangon (to my delight) were also there. as mike hanopol puts it : "one of the great things that we have to do is to make sure that when we fade out, we will be able to pass the great music that we had then to the next generation". here's their opening medley [thanks to iamwalrus] . 

these pinoy icons performed their signature hits - himig natin, bonggahan, laguna, masdan mo ang kapaligiran, pagbabalik, itanong mo sa mga bata, tayo'y mga pinoy, nena, handog, mabuti pa sila, kahit konti, kanlungan, and titser's enemi#1 among others. they really rocked the big dome with audience (us included!) dancing and singing with them all throughout. 

surely, that was a night i'd forever cherish! 
[thanks shellz for the pixs...thanks claire for the you know...backpass, ahay---weeehhhh]

why im looking forward to december 3

[thanks to www.noypitayo.com
for the pic and the wonderful info]

Ugat, The Concert is a once-in-a-blue-moon-celebration of original Filipino music and stars on December 3, 2010 at the Araneta Coliseum! Thanks to Viva Concerts and Events.Time to see Pinoy Folk Rock legends together --- Mike Hanopol, Pepe Smith and Wally Gonzalez of the Juan de la Cruz Band, Sampaguita, Lolita Carbon (ASIN), Florante, Heber Bartolome, Gary Granada and Noel Cabangon .
Tickets are available at all SM Ticketnet outlets and at the Araneta Coliseum. (Patron A P2,500; Patron B P2,000; Lower Box P1,500; Upper Box A P1,000; Upper Box B P600; and GenAd P300)...but you can have a GA ticket for free when you buy a copy of Ugat 2, The Album (from Vicor). Songs in the album include Titser’s Enemi Number 1,No Touch, Tao, Easy Pare,Pulubi, Alaala, Laki Sa Layaw,Mr. Kenkoy,Pinay,Sierra Madre, Lolo Jose, Himig ng Pag-ibig, Itanong Mo Sa Mga Bata ; 22 Anos,  Pagbabalik Ng Kwago, Sirang Plaka, Nena, and Sigarilyo...all from greatest pinoy folk rock legends.

Gonna get me the concert ticket (or the album...or both)!!!

did you know CORITHA???

that's my intro-question for my friends upon knowing that coritha is still very much alive and that she will perform as part of the LEGENDS SERIES of conspiracy cafe (07/22/10. 10pm). answers varied from 'what's that?' to 'what is she famous for?" (all those other types in between). as for me, she's one those few beautiful pinay voices that have molded my 'musical being' when i was a very little girl. hearing her 'sierra madre' still gives me that ever-familiar feeling of sadness and longing for some place to call 'home'.

here are some of the 'internet-generation's little known facts' that might answer all (or some) of my friends' questions about coritha (thank you http://www.coritha.com/) : did you know ---

1. that coritha is the Philippines' foremost singer-songwriter-performer, recording artist and pioneering OPM advocate? known as the PEOPLE'S SINGER, coritha's songs have stood the test of time and have touched, inspired and entertained audience in countless ways.

2. that as the world sang and partied to Al Gore's Live Earth 24-hour musical extravaganza (to combat global warming), several patriotic-earth-loving Pinoys made sure the Filipinos would not be left behind? led by her, the Filipinos' presence was felt via a music video entitled "One Earth".

3.that the song "Lolo Jose" was first submitted as an entry in a Metro Pop (that famous songwriting contest) but never made it? however, in 1982, it won two Cecil awards: 1) "Best Folk-Pop Song", 2) "Best Folk-Pop Vocal Performance."

4. that she wrote and sung her super-dooper-mega-over hit song "Sierra Madre" as her tribute to the Sierra Madre Mountains, the largest and longest mountain range in the Philippines?

5. that she was the first (musical) artist in the history of pop-pinoy music to experiment with Philippine native instruments in her music? rondalla instruments such as the Banduria, Octavina and Laud were used in the songs "Awit Kay Leandro," "Bilanggo" and one of her biggest hit songs "Oras Na".

6. that she was the first singer-performer and recording artist to work alongside blind musicians with their talents as banduria players for her live performances and recordings during the early part of her career?

7. that despite the low turn-out (of audience) of her show with the rock 70s band last night, she was ever dynamic and ever strong in her rendition of parokya ni edgar's harana, a playful mix of pinoy pop-rock bongga ka day, jeprox and beep-beep (rock 70s rocked the night with horse with no name, and smooth) and the soulful interpretation of her timeless songs- kaibigan, sierra madre, lolo jose and oras na. i was seated just few inches away from the pinay pop-rock legend and i never regretted a single moment of it.

PS. special thanks to dear friend roy llenos for footing the bill and being my as-usual 'fairy god-driver'. my!!! was i one lucky fan!

[coritha's b&w pic above is from
http://www.singerpictures.com/coritha-pictures.html]