CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan –Their music has instilled patriotism to a nation then embroiled in an era of chaos and military might, the 70’s and early 80’s.
This coming December 17, three icons of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) and Pinoy Folk Rock genre – Coritha, Lolita Carbon (of Asin) and Heber Bartolome (Banyuhay) — will rock this historic city and bring back nostalgic sounds and memories at the Tikay-Morato Concert Venue along the Macarthur Highway in Bgy. Tikay here.
The concert dubbed as “Pamaskong Handog ng Lungsod ng Malolos at ng Philstar – Gabi ng OPM” will be held at the back of Shakey’s Malolos in the said village.
City Mayor Lawyer Christian D. Natividad said the concert will feature the timeless signature songs of the three singers to remind residents of this city – the very birthplace of Democracy in Asia and Africa – the importance of love for country and fellowmen.
“Madidinig nating muli ang musikang nagpa-alab ng ating pagka-Pilipino noong panahon na nasasadlak sa dusa at takot ang ating bayan. Ito’y hindi lamang pagpapaalala sa atin ng ating pagka-makabayan kungdi pati ng diwa ng pagmamahalan na akmang-akma sa nalalapit na kapaskuhan,” Natividad said.
The mayor, who is also a musician and has his own band, added that the concert’s front act intends to tap local bands and talents in Malolos as a tribute to another Pinoy Rock legend Joey “Pepe” Smith who recently suffered a stroke.
Popularly remember as a pretty singer-songwriter brandishing an acoustic guitar, Coritha’s music made waves in the 1970’s and 1980’s thru her signature hits “Oras na”, “Lolo Jose”, “Gising na o Kuya Ko” and “Sierra Madre.
Coritha was also known as the Pinoy musician who introduced native instruments in her songs and has given blind musicians the chance to be a part of her musical compositions.
In this time of “petmalu and “lodi”, a millennial posted in Facebook this message — “naiiyak ako nito tlga kasi nung buhay pa ung father in lw ko hto ung pinapkingn nia tas nkita ko tumutulo ung luha nia ksi alm nia n mamatay na cya mahal n mahal ko cya kht na d ko cya tunay na papa.”, –referring to Coritha’s song “Lolo Jose”.
Like Coritha, Miss Lolita Carbon also became popular as among the Pinay folk-rock singer thru her strumming of the guitar. Carbon was one of the three original members of the well-loved environmental and activist group Asin.
In 1977, the three rocked the airwaves and attracted legions of fans thru their OPM. Together with Mike Pillora Jr. and Cesar Bañares Jr., Carbon wrote songs that depicts the lives of the Filipinos during a tumultuous period in Philippine history.
Her signature environmental song “Masdan Mo ang Kapaligiran” is still being played and used by various groups advocating environmental protection.
According to Journalist Orlan Mauricio of The Manila Standard and editor of MetroNews-Bulacan—the oldest English weekly newspaper in Bulacan – her fans in Malolos are also eagerly waiting to hear her play “”Usok”, “Pagbabalik” , “Himig ng Pag-ibig” and “Masdan mo ang mga Bata” and other hits by Asin as well.
Heber Bartolome of Banyuhay is a well known activist—singer, songwriter, poet, painter and player of different string instruments– during a period when American GIs are having the times and fun of their lives in the entertainment districts of “Basetown Asia”—in Olongapo City and Angeles City.
His popular song “Nena” became a battlecry for women’s group fighting for abused Filipina women.
There are also stories that his song “Tayo’y mga Pinoy” makes Filipino proud even if their nose is short and flat.
Eric Illescas, proprietor of Hap Tian and Shakeys branches in Malolos, said that this concert also aims to make younger generation more acquainted with classical OPMs and feel proud of being citizens of the Republic thru this kind of music.
Aside from the City Government of Malolos and Philstar, the concert is also jointly sponsored by Shakeys Malolos, Hap Tian Malolos, Rotary Club of Guiguinto Suburbs and Aristocrat Restaurant Malolos. —EMIL G. GAMOS