Following its successful staging at the start of the quarantine, National Artist Ryan Cayabyab furthers its mission of helping those in need as Smart Communications powers the Season 2 of Bayanihan Musikahan to continue to rally support for those affected by COVID-19, while uplifting the spirits of Filipinos who continue to stay at home. Through the Smart Music Live (SML) Online Sessions, the online concert series increases amps up its mission taking the most visible Filipino citizen action platform at this time.
The SML Online Sessions widens the reach of what promises to be a memorable night with Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid with husband, singer-songwriter Ogie Alcasid on Bayanihan Musikahan’s virtual stage on Facebook on Friday, May 15, to be streamed over Smart’s official Facebook page.
Like the other 100+ musical artists who have participated in the first leg of the series, the husband-and-wife tandem–who helped raise Php 5 Million for this particular show—are offering their talent to assist urban poor communities find and sustain their own talent for survival.
Related: Local Music Artists Mount Fund-raising Platform in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
“The most exceptional story for me is that of working with this team in Bayanihan Musikahan.” “I haven’t met a team of people as highly motivated, intelligent and industrious as this team who have brought their respective expertise to the table and raised more than 70M pesos to help alleviate the plight of the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters living in Metro-Manila and outlying provinces.”
More than 300 Filipinos are working behind the camera not only to produce Bayanihan Musikahan but to also safeguard the donated funds to translate into food packs to be distributed to the intended beneficiaries. These hundreds of volunteers include community organizers who are themselves urban poor, from the Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilya ng Pantawid (SNPP) and its allied people’s organizations.
A substantial number of enablers of the “end-to-end” project are those from the Philippine Business for Social Progess (PBSP), which has taken up more than the work of fund management for which it is well known for in social development circles. PBSP has taken up the multiple challenges of transportation, linking up with vegetable and rice farmers, and organizing logistics.
For the music industry, the chance to virtually hold hands with society and with the most vulnerable Filipinos takes place at a time of vulnerability for the artists as well. On the same day as the concert, Cayabyab will also be seen in a Huntahan Musikahan program.
“It is the worst time, and the best time for musicians, creative artists and composers. The worst time, because there are no jobs available, no live performances, no gigs, no regular work that are needed for recordings, for live TV or taped TV shows, etc. But it is the best time – because then, we can practice more, have more time perfecting our craft because there are not many distractions, and no traffic that eats up a person’s work hours,” the National Artist for music comments.
“It is also the time when much creativity is happening, to address the various situations we are faced with. We are circumventing or re-thinking how to use our talents to entertain. When at first it was only to express ourselves, we are now thinking of ways to monetize our performances online. We will get through this, and we will be better musicians, performers and creative thinkers and artists.”
Through the online concert, Mr. C notes, “We are actually closer to our audience. Anyone can interact with us when we are online. While we have yet to discover no app that can approximate real time jam, until then, we can only produce live music videos from home using the technology available. But so far – ANYONE can do online concerts with just their device (phone, tablet, laptop) plus an array of acoustic or electronic instruments or solo voice.”
“The only distinct difference between live and virtual performance is the hollow feeling one gets after performing a piece. Performers feed off the energy given by spontaneous reactions from the audience, like applause and standing ovations, or catcalls and jeers. Without these reactions, a performer would have to make TREMENDOUS adjustments to his/her psyche – I know we will get through this, but we will have to grapple with that strange phase first. Hearts, likes and wows emoticons can help but the performers see these only when they stop to read interactive windows. Both performers and audience will have to adjust,” the lead proponent of the online concert notes on the new normal of live stage performances.
In this sense, the adjustments that had to be made on the ground by the relief distribution volunteers during a time of great personal danger, have proven to be enormous—and yet, from all indications, successful. PBSP and SNPP have used the new technology to be efficient and highly-energetic.
As such, Cayabyab also emphasizes the pivotal role of connectivity during these uncertain times. “Connectivity is the big star now. Online connectivity is our fastest way to communicate and to learn what we need to do in a pandemic such as this. Online connectivity is also our center of entertainment in this period of extended quarantine. Everything is there. As in everything – from varied shows, all the way to food delivery. Chat groups and community billboards and marketplaces have sprung to address our needs as an individual, family or community. There is no other medium now that can equal what online connectivity can do.”
He added, “We even attend mass online – and we can choose to attend our parish priest’s mass, or choose to attend the Pope’s! Now, more than ever, we get to see national leaders and medical practitioners of various countries doing what they can to alleviate their people’s plight with unique solutions that other countries can adopt. Caution must be observed though – because there is also so much trash and fake news that abound. But that is for the individual to discern.”
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To watch some of your favorite artists live from your home on May 15, watch the Bayanihan Musikahan on Smart’s Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SmartCommunications/.