10 Philippine Showbiz Today
Special Feature
October 22 - November 7, 2018
Jan. 22-Feb.7, 2015
Pinoy Protest Musicians
of the New Millennium
ost of the millennials in
M
today’s society get a lot
of criticism for growing up in their
own unique way. They are either
criticised for being apolitical and
apathetic or are simply looked at
as hapless victims of historical
revisionism.
This impression of millennials
changed in 2016 when they took
the lead in denouncing the burial
of former dictator President
Ferdinand Marcos among the
nation’s heroes at the Libingan
ng mga Bayani, Western Bicutan,
Taguig. Fearless at the frontlines of
protests, it was very clear for many
that these young Pinoys had not
forgotten the crimes committed
under Ferdinand Marcos’ Martial
Law.
As we go back in time and
remember the dark days of Martial
Law, let us listen carefully to the
words and lyrics of protest songs
sung by today’s Pinoy protest
musicians who have proven that
the spirit of protest and change is
still beating strong among today’s
millennials.
The General Strike is an
activist blues/rock band making
a lot of noise and strong political
statements through their soulful
songs and music. The General
Strike is made up of drummer
Mike Beltran, guitarist Neil
Ambion, bassist Edsa Manlapaz
and vocalist MC Sacay.
“Ako, si Edsa at si Neil, dati
pa kami tumutugtog sa banda.
Then nakilala namin si MC at
inalok namin siya kung gusto niya
na maki-jam sa amin. At aktibista
kaming lahat kaya doon kami
nagkakilala,” explained Beltran.
“Naging member ako ng
League of Filipino Students (LFS)
noon nagaaral pa ako sa college.
After school naghanap ako ng
ibang gagawin kaya natuto ako
mag guitar,” said Ambion.
“Nagoorganize ako noon
high school student pa ako
sa community. Tapos naging
member ako ng Anak Bayan. Hindi
na ako nakapagaral sa college
so napunta ako sa Kadamay.
Ngayon organizing ako sa BP
Industries Employees Network,”
said Manlapaz.
“First semester ng first year
ko sa college may lumapit kaagad
sa akin na aktibista at kinausap
ako. Na-realize ko na marami pala
akong hindi nalalaman tungkol ay magamit din na magdevelop
ng
political
consciousness
and awareness sa mga tao.
Very interwoven yung music at
sa lipunan. Naging member rin
ako ng Anak Bayan at hanggang
ngayon nagpapatuloy ako sa
Panday Sining, ang cultural arm
ng Anak Bayan,” said Sacay.
“Halos magkasunod kami ni
Neil sa pag-join namin sa League
of Filipino Students. Tapos naging
bahagi ako ng Anak Bayan at
hanggang ngayon member ako
ng Kadamay for the past three
years,” said Beltran.
By day the four members
of The General Strike are full-
time activists and community
organizers immersed in the daily
grind and fight of Filipino workers.
When night time comes they sing
about the daily struggle of the
Pinoy working class.
The blues has long been
associated with oppression and
despair. What does blues music
mean to the members of The
General Strike?
“Ang blues kung sa mga
black people parang doon nila
dinadaan ang mga pighati at mga
nararamdaman nilang kahirapan
sa buhay. Parang incantation,
kumakanta sila at linalabas nila
ang depressed na kalagayan
nila. Sa amin ang translation
sa Pilipinas parang ang mga
mahihirap kaya nilang
intindihin ang ganitong
genre ng music kasi
nalalapit din sila sa
ibang genre na popular
sa radio,” explained
Manlapaz.
Does the music
played by The General
Strike inspire activism
or does the group’s
activism inspire their
music?
“Parang
pareho
siya. Ang music na ginagawa
naming ay dahil sa political
consciousness namin. At the same
time gusto rin namin ang music activism,” said Ambion.
“Pugon,” the first single
recorded and released by The
General Strike, is a tribute to the
74 Kentex Manufacturing factory
workers who were trapped and
killed in the country’s most deadly
factory fire in May 13, 2016.
“Rehas sa bintana, kandado
sa pinto/Hindi criminal, pero daig
pa ang bilanggo,” goes the song.
Listen closely to the lyrics
of songs played by The General
Public and you will discover that
they tell stories of the oppressed
sectors of our society who don’t
have the voice to tell their sad
tales on their own.
“Nasulat
naming
ang
kantang ‘Pugon’ a week after yung
sunog sa Kentex Manufacturing.
Noon palagi nga ako doon na
kasama ang mga pamilya ng
mga biktima ng sunog,” Ambion
remembered.
“Hindi ko talaga mapigilan
ang pagpatak ng luha ko dahil
sa grief ng mga pamilya ng mga
namatay sa sunog. May mga
magulang at mahal sa buhay na
grabe ang iyak. Kaya iyon ang
palagi ko iniinternalize kapag
kinakanta ko ang ‘Pugon,’” said
Sacay.
“Naghahanapbuhay,
sa
hanapbuhay
sila
namatay/
Nagliyab itong kahon,
kinulong at binaon/
Naabo sila doon, sa
pabrikang
naging
pugon.”
“May
mga
kanta kami tungkol
sa
manggagawa,
magsasaka at sa urban
poor na apektadong-
apektado sa war on
drugs
ni
Duterte.
Gusto sana naming i-
cover ang ibat-ibang
mga issues na maging
relevant ito sa panahon
by Jose K. Lirios
PST Manila Correspondent
ngayon. Hindi lamang para
ipakita yung nangyayari doon
sa actual na realidad natin pero
para manawagan din. Sa tingin
ko iyon ang palagi kasama sa
mga kanta namin. Kasi pag may
binubuo kami isang kanta parang
collectively inuupuan namin
tapos ano ang tingin niyo, ok
nab a ito, dagdagan ba natin o
bawasan. Wala ba panawagan?
Lagyan nga natin ng panawagan
o anong klaseng panawagan,”
said Beltran.
For The General Strike, the
rewards of being a performing
band have not come in the form of
record deals, a lucrative recording
contract or packed music halls or
stadiums. They get their greatest
fulfilment right on the ground.
“Masaya kami kapag nakaka-
interact namin ang mga tao at
nababanggit nila sa amin na
nabubuhayan sila kapag narinig
nila ang mga kanta namin.
Sobrang
nakakatuwa
kapag
kumakanta kami sa mga picket
lines at mga rally,” said Sacay.
“Masaya
kami
na
nakakatulong ang mga kanta
namin na makapagmulat ng mga
mata ng kapwa namin Pilipino,”
said Beltran.
“Marami pa rin problema sa
Pilipinas ngayon. Lumalala pa
nga siya at hindi gumaganda ang
mga buhay ng mga Pilipino lalo sa
panahon ni Presidente Duterte,”
said Manlapaz.
“Hindi talaga tama ang Martial
Law at kailangan natin siyang
alalahanin na hindi bida ang mga
Marcoses at hindi sila naging
hero pati yung linibing na dating
Presidente Ferdinand Marcos sa
Libingan ng mga Bayani. At iba na
talaga yung historical revisionism
na nangyayari ngayon specially sa
social media dahil napakalakas
pa rin and effect at power nila
hanggang ngayon,” said Sacay.
In the face of tyranny and
oppression these millennials
speak truth to those in power.
Indeed this is a generation to be
reckoned with. For as long as
they make noise and speak for
those Pinoys who cannot speak
for themselves, we may look to a
bright future ahead.●