WALKING along Sutter Street in San Francisco, California down to the Union Square on my way to the Bay Area Railway Transit (BART) back in 2002, I suddenly missed the ubiquitous and obnoxious jeepneys plying the Philippines streets. In an instant I was muttering: “I walked the street of San Francisco, I’ve tried the rides in Disneyland…”
I never dated a “million girls in Sydney” but the next phrase can be felt: “Somehow I feel like I don’t belong.”
“Manila”, the song popularized by the Filipino iconic band Hotdogs was a whiff of the Filipino diaspora in the psychedelic 70’s when Juan De la Cruz trained his sights overseas for greener pastures. In most cases, Saudi Arabia was the be-all and end-all of this OFW phenomenon that left us dreaming for Pioneer and Sony sound systems coming from an OFW parent burning his midnight oil in the desert kingdom.
And there was Martial Law in the Philippines that pitted militant students along with the growing communist cadres with the Philippine Constabulary. Amid all these, the ‘Manila Sound’ popularized by Hotdogs, VST Company, Mike Hanopol, Sampaguita, etc drowned out the dissent and lingering poverty with songs that blurted out in AM stations all day.
On Sunday, Isa Garcia, daughter of Hotdog’s frontman Dennis Garcia, has announced the passing of the Filipino songwriter icon.
This, just weeks after his song “Manila” which was featured during the recently concluded South East Asian Games (SEAGames) drew the ire of those who do not want it simply because “it does not represent the country.”
“Manila” represents the whole country because it pays homage to the OFWs who are missing their country and families back home. Dennis even suggested that another of their song “Bongga Ka Day” should be included in the SEAGames ceremony. Well, what’s in a song title?
“For those of you who knew my father, it grieves me to inform you all that he passed away tonight. We will keep you posted regarding the details of the wake,” Isa said in a post on his Facebook page. “Our grief at his sudden passing is infinite and now so is he. Thank you for being with us through this difficult time.”
Dennis is the brother of Hotdog guitarist Rene Garcia, who passed away in 2018. The Garcia brothers formed the group back in the 70’s.