Inner Strength, Resiliency and Time for Action

Every time there is a calamity, I am always reminded that I am a Filipino. It is not something to be proud of but it is unavoidable. When these events happen, I get affected for several days or even a month.  There is a feeling of gloom and frustration.  Moreover, most of these events occur immediately before the Christmas season and this makes the situation more difficult.

Right now, I am near the point of accepting the fact that our stomachs , as a Filipino nation, are connected.  I heard it from a friend decades ago and I dismissed the belief with a grin.  I just realize lately that when something negative happens outside the Philippine area of responsibility (as the weather people put it), I could snap out of it in a couple of hours or even minutes. When these disaster happen in my own fence, the sad emotion lingers on. Probably, it is the umbilical cord that connected us to the wombs of our mothers. A huge cord with plenty of babies attached to it and one-by-one being disconnected from the cord as timeline progresses to signify their births, is how I imagine the formation of nations.  

Last weekend after writing my Sense (Keep the Videos Coming) and Sensibility) blog, I got to watch the local free Television news and ,in over a couple of years, Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho a Philippine Television prime time features show.  The show featured the effects of the recent earthquake on the national heritage of the country.  I could empathize with the guys from the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts for their feeling of loss and seeming negation of a lifetime's work and dedication in the preservation of the country's Heritage Churches.  

When the show host Ms. Jessica Soho interviewed our dear Boholanons (from the province of Bohol Philippines where the quake's epicenter was located), I saw their admirable core including their love for family and religiosity.  Instead of being saddened by their plight, those featured displayed inner strength and resiliency.  I got to admire them and was inspired.  In fact, the weekend news had announced that tourist spots in Bohol would reopen this week.  So, I decided to snap out of my video making inactivity and browsed  through several malls Facebook FB pages. 

As usual, Glorietta provided me an option.  There was this Silver Anniversary Concert SALUDO which was held yesterday October 22, 2013.  I was hesitant to go because most of the performers were already featured by my Konsyerto Pinoy channel.  What made me reluctantly go was the celebrant-organization itself.  The concert was for the HERO Foundation that helps the children of soldiers killed and totally incapacitated IN ACTION.  I may not be able to help the quake victims from here but I can help these children whose parents we owe in preserving the peace in our land.

So, I proceeded to Glorietta yesterday and was unsure of what will I record and upload.  After routinely seeking authorization to record and upload the show from the organizers, I recorded the performances. (Again, you might ask me why I have to continuously mention that I am seeking permission to record and upload from the organizers. Why not just go into a nice spot and start recording?  Well, these events even if they are open to the public and  free admission, might have already been subject to exclusive television and/or public coverage.)

With the exception of the first performer "The Acoustic Princess" Princess Velasco, I was able to completely record the performances. However during the initial period of the concert, I was already having second thoughts which portion(s) of the program to upload.  I was not ready to create another Integrity Concert video which is an hour-long. The concert spirit is not entirely present at the moment.  So I decided to upload the performances into groups and/or as my "gut-feel" dictates.

Even if I read the FB page regarding this concert, I did not fully remember the performing artists.  As soon as the Icon "Philippine Violin Legend" John Lesaca was announced  on stage, I got a bit excited.  I expected jazz instrumentals will be played. To my surprise, the icon violinist played  a Christmas Songs medley.  The repertoire did not intrigue me but made me think whether it was appropriate for an upload considering the mood of the nation.

Well, I have to bravely answer that the Christmas medley was the most appropriate song of the night!  The concert was for our Heroes children.  In spite of what happened, these kids must not be robbed of the little Christmas happiness they ought to have.  Even my sensibility was challenged by this performance.  Good grief, a mature icon violin legend pretending that there is a happy Christmas with what just happened! After reflecting for half a minute while recording the medley,  I said to myself the guy was very appropriate in playing the medley.  For one, children are endowed with gifts by "Ninongs and Ninangs" (Godfathers and Godmothers) during the Christmas season.  This period of the year, in Philippine tradition, is a stage where the Christmas bug is already remarkably felt.  

Although Christmas should not encourage the spirit of materialism, it was more the previous decades' Pre-Holiday and Christmas seasons I wanted today's children to experience.  The HERO scholars or children might not get to see this video and my following uploads. But, I wanted to remind the viewers that he/she could be a Godparent to these kids by viewing and following the donation instruction halfway the video.

During the 20th century, Pinoys were already planning and buying special gifts for their loved ones during the "ember" months.  Children during this period were already planning their holiday season activities.  As a result, though some experts would refute the idea, the Philippine economy is a Christmas-Driven and Inspired Economy.  In certain points of Philippine History, we should have been thankful that the season came because if not for Christmas, the Philippine Economy would have collapsed.  Anyway, just to stress the point, the Christmas medley decided the initial relevant upload thing.

To the readers of this blog, if you have extra browsing time, kindly visit the HERO Foundation Philippines website http://herofoundation.com.ph/.  To Philippine residents, you can help our soldiers' children via Short Message Service SMS.  You can text to donate and the minimum amount is cheaper than a Lotto ticket. Though there is still gloom in the air, the task to rebuild lives has already started.