Folk singer Noel Cabangon performs before the crowd at Plaza Independencia. (CDN PHOTO/FERDINAND EDRALIN)
Local artists based in Manila and Cebu joined forces in campaigning against vice presidential candidate and Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in yesterday’s concert dubbed “Cebu Against Marcos-The Concert” at the Plaza Independencia in Cebu City.
Artists led by Apo Hiking Society’s Jim Paredes and folk singer Noel Cabangon along with Cebuano bands took to the stage to perform their hits before a crowd of more than 1,000 spectators.
Apo Hiking Society hits such as “Panalangin” and “Pumapatak Ang Ulan” were performed while short video clips were shown during the concert to introduce all vice presidential candidates except Bongbong.
In yesterday’s press conference, Noel Tabasa, spokesman of the Anti-Bongbong Coalition (ABC), said they chose to hold a concert as a creative way to reach out to the millennials.
“Through music we would like to present our message and not being forceful about it,” Tabasa said.
Paredes, an EDSA revolution veteran, said the voters should always judge candidates and see if they are corrupt and a threat to democracy and freedom of speech.
“When people argue that we should move-on since it has been years since the martial law, it’s just that you cannot move on unless justice is done. If you move on now, you surrender your morals and you surrender everything and repeat the whole thing again,” Paredes said.
Noel Cabangon said people should not forget about the martial law.
“The reason we are campaigning against Bongbong is that there is no closure yet to the plunder and crimes committed against the Filipino people,” he said.
Cabangon said the Marcoses should give back what was stolen.
Paredes said the concert should remind people of the atrocities committed during the martial law.
“For everybody, you cannot decide based on what you had experienced in the past six months. You have to decide based on the historical story, the narrative of our country,” he said.
Paredes recounted that during martial law, three of his classmates were killed.
He said there was fear and as artists, they were banned on stage and in any media outlet.
Karl Ramirez, executive director of League of Authors and Public Interest Songs (Lapis), said they have been creating music about martial law to educate the people especially voters.
“Di pa man napag-usapan ang pagtakbo ni (When there wasn’t even talk about the candidacy of) Bongbong, we are on this campaign,” he said.
Boogs Villareal, the youngest member of Lapis at 23 years old, said she used her parents’s experiences during martial law to create songs that called on the youth not to vote for another Marcos.
Paredes said the Marcoses should not be forgiven because they never acknowledged what they had done.
“I believe in compassion but not in idiot compassion. To really forgive a person, you have to acknowledge everything that had been done and then forgive. But how can you acknowledge when they are denying it?” he said.
Organizers pointed out that all performers will also play “for free” because they support the coalition’s advocacy.
Manila artists including Bayang Barrios, Cookie Chua and Karl Ramirez of Reverb Nation performed during the concert.
They were joined by Cebu-based groups Adres, BandAid, Bisdak Pride, Dance with Me Kris, and Maharlika.
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