The Best of Freddie Aguilar

The Wednesday Songs

June 28, 2017

Anak

Bulag, Pipi At Bingi

Magdalena 

Bayan Ko

Ipaglalaban Ko

Kumusta Ka, Aking Mahal

Ang Umaayaw Ay 'Di Nagwawagi

Olongapo

Sa Kuko Ng Agila

Alaala

Magbago Ka 

Estudyante Blues 

Minamahal Kita

Sigarilyo 

Napupuyat 

Habang May Buhay

Katarungan 

Buhay Nga Naman ng Tao

Pulubi

Mga Bata Sa Negros

Mindanao

Tuloy Ang Laban

Kapalaran

Mahal Na Mahal Na Mahal Kita 

Larawan 

The Greatest Hits

Photo courtesy of RateYourMusic.com

Young Love, Sweet Love

Saturday Stories

June 24, 2017

Their families were shocked when Rock (Sam Concepcion) got his girlfriend Tracy (Tippy Dos Santos) pregnant because they are so young. 

Rock knows it's not easy to have a super-rich girlfriend:

"...'Di ko pwedeng 

isakay sa jeepney,

sobrang usok at sikip..."

His family is middle-class. His father, Pol (Ogie Alcasid), teaches guitar. Pol is also a songwriter with a very famous composition...

"...sa bubong ng bahay,
'di maiwasang gumawa ng 
'di inaasahang bagay..."

Actually, that was only his song. His students began to complain about playing it over and over again, and he taught them about the need for inspiration in writing a song: 

"...Kapag nag-iisa't kasama ang gitara,
basta't dumarating ang kanta,
awiting maaari rin kung may kasama,
tambol mo ay butas na lata..."

Rock sang his undying love for Tracy when they were alone in the small chapel in her estate when the two families met. 

"...Panalangin 
ko sa habang buhay,
makapiling ka, makasama ka,
'yan ang panalangin ko..."

But it was a disaster. Tracy grandfather, the aristocratic retired military general Julio Fuentebella (Jaime Fabregas) is totally against it and the wedding was off.

Tracy's father, Nick (Gary Valenciano) is disappointed with her. Yet he still remembers when she was a still a child, her little girl: 

"...Batang-bata ka 
pa at marami ka pang
kailangang malaman 
at intindihin sa mundo..."

Meanwhile, Rock's mother, Rose (Eugene Domingo) is singing the same song to him, but with a lot of nagging. 

But the adults have their issues as well. Nick's marriage to Elaine (Zsa Zsa Padilla) is on the rocks. She realizes that she is falling out of love with him... 

"...Minsan kahit na pilitin 
mong uminit ang damdamin,
'di siya susunod, 
at di maglalambing..."

I had a story in Philippine Panorama titled "The Top 10 Signs of Leadership" where I featured some of the great Filipino role models of our time, featuring, among many, Eddie Garcia and the Apo Hiking Society: 

"Jim Paredes, Danny Javier and Buboy Garovillo have redefined original Filipino music with their songs that everyone in every generation can identify with – and the Apo Hiking Society has come to symbolize true friendship, solidarity and brotherhood. Right now, my favorite Apo song is Mahirap Magmahal Ng Syota Ng Iba."

My favorite scene is with my favorite song from Apo. Pol is trying to write a new song. Rock looked at it and read the lyrics of "Pag-Ibig..." 

"...Hindi mo malimutan 
kung kailan nagsimulang 
matuto kung papaanong magmahal,
at 'di mo malimutan 
kung kailan mo natikman
ang una mong halik, 
yakap na napaka-higpit,
pag-ibig na tunay hanggang langit..."

You can't write a song without inspiration, Pol tells his son - and that was a turning point for Rock. 

One night, Tracy was surprised to find him on the balcony, asking her to run away with him, singing all the way as the two young lovers ran happily under the romantic full moon.

"...Mahal kita, 
mahal kita, hindi 'to bola,
ngumiti ka man lang sana, 
ako'y nasa langit na..."

I Do Bidoo Bidoo: Heto nAPO Sila!

 Photo courtesy of CinemaClock.com

The Best of Eugene Villaluz and The New Minstrels

Wednesday Songs

June 21, 2017

Nothing I Want More

Ikaw, Ako, Tayo (Magkakakapatid)

Gulong Ng Palad

Mahiwaga

No Video

I Don't Love You Anymore

Buhat 

Kahit Na Magtiis

Pagdating Ng Takipsilim

Why Did I Go

What'll I Do 

Let's Put It All Together

This Is The Moment

Once In A While

Medley of Classics

The New Minstrels and The Circus Band

Photo courtesy of ShoppersGuide.com

Into The World Of The Mystical

Saturday Stories

June 17, 2017

 

One of the first books that I've read over and over when I was a child is Reader's Digest: Into The Unknown, the now-classic one-volume encyclopedia on supernatural phenomena. As I grew up, I began to get more deeply involved into the world of the so-called occult.

Yet though I have no hang-ups about such things, I avoid discussing it with those who relentlessly inflict their moral judgments instead of actually listening, smugly convinced that they already know everything.

I'm familiar and comfortable with the ideas of spirits and mystical healing, of reading minds and channeling of nonphysical entities.

Then I saw all of those elements come together when I saw Seklusyon, the story of young men going into seclusion before becoming full-pledged priests.

But I also realized how much my worldview has changed about the nature of what people call the "battle of good versus evil."

Eric Matti is one of my favorite movie directors. As someone who appreciates the process of actually creating a film, I admire the way he tells a story by making me feel like I'm in the actual scene.

Yet I have to say that my idea of fun is not being locked up in a monastery where religious statues come to life, and where dead people would crawl out from under the bed.

I'm not even at ease sitting across a little girl who is the incarnation of God Almighty Himself.

Photo courtesy of RandomRepublika.com

The Best of VST & Company

Wednesday Songs 

June 14, 2017

Ikaw Ang Aking Mahal

Awitin Mo At Isasayaw Ko

Ipagpatawad Mo

Magsayawan

Rock Baby Rock

I-Swing Mo Ako

with Sharon Cuneta

Swing It, Baby

Step No, Step Yes

Nahihibang 

VST & Company Greatest Hits

Photo courtesy of LastFM.com

Can Decent Men Compromise?

Saturday Stories

June 10, 2017

 

The Americans don't trust him because his brother is the leader of the insurgents, but the people of the town respect and obey him so they need him.

The rebels don't trust him either, but they want him to spy for them so they need him too.

There are just some situations which would have been funny if they weren't so tragic.

Rafael (Joel Torre) is the village captain of the small town of San Isidro, as were his father and grandfather before him. That was his only dream: to live a simple and quiet yet meaningful life.

One day, he saw his entire life change right before his eyes.

Spain had just lost her war againts the United States and surrendered the nations she had invaded including the Philippines. American soldiers descended on their bucolic town and made it their own.

Rafael presented himself as a friend of the invading forces in order to protect his own people. In one of his secret meetings with the rebels in their secret camp in the mountains, he told them everything he knew.

He told them they can't give them rice because the villagers cannot even harvest enough for their own since all the young men had gone. Even the Americans want rice.

"What if we let them pay and I'll give the money to you?" he proposed.

"What good is money here?" his brother Simon (Ronnie Lazaro) countered.

"Then what if you just take them from the warehouse?" he suggested.

"So the Americans can ambush us?" said Simon indignantly. "You're starting to work for them!"

"Then give me a gun and I'll join you in the fight!" he shouted.

"Rafael, we need you inside with the Americans," said Albay (Pen Medina), the representative of the revolutionary government, trying to ease the tension between the brothers. "But," he warned, " we also need you to be friend of the revolution."

"Our orders are clear," declared Albay when Rafael was gone. "We will show no mercy to those who collaborate with the enemy!"

"But he's my brother," said Simon.

"That's why," he said quietly, "we don't expect you to do it..."

Photo courtesy of RavePad.com

The Best of Rainmakers

Wednesday Songs 

June 7, 2017

Binibini 

You And Me  

Miss Maganda

Ale, Ale

OK Sa Akin

Gabi't Araw

Pang-Umaga, Pang-Tanghali At Pang-Gabi

I Won't Last A Day Without You

Photo courtesy of RateYourMusic.com

Unforgettable

Saturday Stories

June 3, 2017

 

"Once in a while, a movie comes along that is so touching, so moving, that it becomes part of you for a long, long time..." goes the trailer of the 1983 classic Saan Darating Ang Umaga (Where Will The Morning Come), written by Fanny Garcia and directed by Maryo J. De Los Reyes.

I love the movie. I love the theme song, composed by George Canseco and performed by Raymond Lauchengco.

   

In this unforgettable cinematic experience, Ruben (Nestor De Villa) at Lorrie (Nida Blanca) were so happy when they adopted Joel (Jaypee De Guzman).

What they did not know is that their daughter Shayne (Maricel Soriano) is jealous of the boy and has become cruel to him.

Then everything changed when Ruben died.

Lorrie is blaming Joel and wants to put him back into the orphanage.

But Shayne has realized that she already loves the boy. She asks her mother to not return him to the orphanage.

"I already love Joel," she pleaded. "I don't want him to go."

But Lorrie was adamant. 

"Mommy, you're selfish!" said Shayne. "You're only thinking of yourself!"

"What about you?" Lorrie spat back. "You have never been selfish? You have never thought about yourself?"

"But Mommy, between us, you're the one who has to be responsible!" argued Shayne, beginning to cry. "You have to be strong. Help me, Mommy. I cannot do it alone..."

"How can help you when I can't even help myself?" said Lorrie, nearly collapsing with unbearable despair. "Did you know, when Ruben died, I felt like paralyzed, I felt so helpless..."

"But Mommy, I'm here," Shayne tried to c omfort her. "Joel is here. We will help each other. Together, we can be strong..."

Saan Darating Ang Umaga

Photo courtesy