MORE THAN 70 musical performances, ranging from busking to full-on gigs — at various locations including LRT stations are what this year’s Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino (Philippine Music Week) is featuring until the end of July.
The annual event has been held on the last week of July since 2015 and is organized by the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). The weeklong festival aims to “promote the awareness and appreciation of all forms of Filipino music” through a variety of on-site and online performances in a number of cities including Baguio and Davao City, according to a press release.
The event was created after President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed Presidential Proclamation 933 which declared the last week of July as Philippine Music Week.
Touted as “what may possibly be its biggest and most diverse festival lineup yet,” the festival events include the seventh restaging of Rak of Aegis on July 27 and 28 at the PETA Theater in Quezon City.
“[Linggo] has always shown consistency in terms of championing top-notch Filipino music,” Herminio Jose “Ogie” Alcasid Jr., president of OPM, was quoted as saying in the release.
A themed musical showcase from 1990s icons such as Barbie Almalbis, Wency Cornejo, Dong Abay, and Cooky Chua is set on July 31 at Historia Boutique Bar and Restaurant in Quezon City.
Ms. Chua will also perform on July 28 with the Manila String Machine at the Power Plant mall in Makati City. Laira Maigue, Noel Cabangon, and Aikee will perform at Lucky Chinatown mall in Manila on the same day.
Other themed showcases are scheduled within the week in bars across Metro Manila.
The festival is also bringing live music to LRT stations, events called “Railway Jams.” The remaining performances will be on July 26 at the Doroteo station (with performances by Maxine Marie, Ace Dyamante, Kian Dionisio, and Miss Ramonne) and July 27 at the Monumento station (Vanessa Mendoza, Calde, Vanz Bonaobra, and Jai Barrientos). Performances are at 4 p.m.
Busking sessions are scheduled until Sept. 20 at the PETA Theater Center in Quezon City.
There will also be performances in provinces including in Ayala Malls Legazpi, Albay on July 28 which will feature bands like Upbeat Ska and Green Leafy Vegetable.
“The celebration is an assertion to inject in the consciousness of the Filipinos that we have our own treasure trove, local and regional, written in national and local languages, of songs that reflect our culture,” Noel Cabangon, OPM board member was quoted as saying in the release.
“We Filipinos should have the consciousness to support it. We are on our 5th year since the Presidential Proclamation 933 was signed in 2014. It is very young. And it is a struggle. But it is very important that we have this mandate from the government. At least now we’re gaining grounds. Hopefully we’ll get more support in the years to come.”
The full schedule of performances can be viewed on the OPM’s official Facebook page, facebook.com/PinoySingers. — ZBC
