Freeman Cebu Entertainment

Wonggoys Pitch In For Pink Cause

October 31, 2011 | 12:00am

CEBU, Philippines - A rising Cebuano band of three brothers penned an inspirational single that will not only give hope to breast cancer patients, but will also raise funds to help spread awareness and early detection of the vicious disease.

The Wonggoys — made up of Gabriel Keith Wong, William “Billyboy” and Kyle Miguel – was approached by staunch breast cancer awareness advocate Me’anne Solomon-Alcordo to compose a song for their cause, in time for the annual Pink October series of activities.

“We didn’t think twice in grabbing the opportunity because we felt it was time to make use of our talent for a greater purpose, to motivate people to support the cause through the gift of music,” says Gabriel, the eldest and main vocalist/chief composer of the Wonggoys who by day, works as advertising department Creative Head of local pharmaceutical giant IPI.

The said single, titled A Life to Live, was produced by veteran Cebuana musician Cattski Espina, who also produced the band’s debut album. It was written last April just right before the boys’ Manila tour.

A Life to Live will be available for digital download soon at a cost of $2. All proceeds will go to the ICanServe Foundation, an organization advocating breast cancer awareness and providing hope and help to women with breast cancer.

Cattski describes the song in her blog as “somewhat inspirational and motivational in theme but very pop-folk in terms of resonance. It carries the same Wonggoys sound that Cebu has somehow come to love.”

The Wonggoys have never experienced having a close family member or friend diagnosed with cancer. But as they often do, they turned to the wonderful women in their lives — their very supportive mother Maricel, their only sister, grandmas and aunts — as inspiration in writing the song.

Gabriel quips thus, on how he came up with the lyrics, “I’ve witnessed people I know who had to go through the difficulties of dealing with it. When I was writing, I tried to put myself in their shoes and asked myself what I would have done through such adversity. The words may be a bit idealistic but this is how I would want to cope when placed in such situation.”

The main message the brothers wish to impart, according to Gabriel, is that there are trials in life that we can never avoid, so the best thing we can do is to face them. “It was written to inspire not only those suffering with breast cancer, but also their loved ones to hold on to hope because there is so much more to life than that one stumbling block.”

A Life to Live was officially launched last October 21 during the culmination of Ayala Center Cebu and ICanServe Foundation’s Think Pink activities at the Terraces.

Meantime, the Wonggoys debut CD, I’m Not Sure What to Say but I’ll Say It Anyway is still available in Odyssey Music stores. Released under Cattski’s homegrown company 22 Tango Records, the album includes ten all-original easy to listen “pop rock with a little bit of jazz and blues” tracks.

These days, the brothers have been kept busy with work (for Gabriel) and school (for Billyboy and Kyle, who are both Business Administration students at the Center for International Education), but that doesn’t mean they’ve laid low with their music.

The Wonggoys have been working on new material for a possible second album, shooting music videos and making short promotional materials to keep the noise up. Most importantly, they’ve been having fun and giving back to their followers as a show of gratitude for the unwavering support.

The Wonggoys shared to The FREEMAN the lyrics of their composition for the Pink cause. For updates on when the single will be available for download purchase, visit the band’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Wonggoys.

A Life to Live

You’re caving in, got your head down low

You find yourself with a drink in your cup

A glass of misery, a shot of giving up

Mind’s gone weak but your heart’s still beating

A hundred miles from the floor to the ceiling

The drop is tough but the climbs worth feeling

Life keeps flowing you’ve got to move with it

Living it cool and forget the pain

Hoping the sun shines through dark skies and pouring rain

Raise your heads up, got to believe in

Wishful thinking and the better days