The worst is over for Lito

He could not afford to buy a guitar. But he would intently watch the neighborhood musician playing the guitar during drinking sessions in the neighborhood sari-sari store.

Blessed with musical ears and an awesome memory – he would remember chords and would tinker with the guitar every time there was a chance.

He worked as a houseboy to make ends meet and while doing his chores, he would learn how to drive the car forward and backward so that he could wash it and clean the garage. This way, he learned how to drive and he became a family driver.

Singer-composer Lito Camo has come a long, long way from these struggling years.

Today, he is one of the hottest composers in the music industry. Among his hits are the Sex Bomb Girls’ Spageti, Laban O Bawi, Bakit Papa and Halukay Ube; Bayani Agbayani’s Otso-Otso and Atras Abante; Viva Hotbabes’ Bulaklak and Basketbol; Willie Revillame’s Pito-Pito; Masculado’s Sana Mama, Nakaka and Jumbo Hotdog; April Boy Regino’s Yeye Vonnel; Sandara Park’s In or Out and Walang Sabit, Angelica Jones’ Ms. Flawless; Ai Ai de las Alas’ Tanging Ina and Seamanloloko; and K and the Boxers’ Sasakyan Kita.

He remembers his first song, Kung Ikaw from his debut album Ano Kamo? and his most noteworthy performance – a concert with the Eraserheads, Yano and Rivermaya at the Big Dome.

"That was my first big dream," he admits. "But since I’m getting more recognition as a composer now, I realized I’d rather be remembered as a good composer. After all, singers come and go, but songs stay and composers will always be remembered."

Today, he helps his family live a comfortable life and drives an F-150. The best thing about Lito is he has not forgotten his humble beginnings.

Bravo, Lito!

The Kaogma Festival

Would you like to be served a hot dish of fun, adventure, relaxation and excitement topped with a good mix of Pinoy culture and a generous dash of spicy, scenic delights?

Camarines Sur offers a taste of the hot and the truly wonderful with the province’s Kaogma Festival on May 21 to 27. The festival pays homage to the province’s farmers and fisher folks and celebrates the province’s beginnings, its people and indigenous products. Dakulang Kaogma, the Bicolanos would say, meaning "a big happiness celebration." And true enough, in its aim to spread happiness to its people, the festival has a list of activities that will surely brighten anybody’s day.

Kaogma Festival also draws inspiration from the fire of Camarines Sur’s prized possession, the siling labuyo. We know that the province is popular for its fiery dishes like the Bicol Express and Laing. So it is no surprise that Camarines Sur would feature a festival as blazing as its sili.

Simply put, it is a festival no hot-loving individual should dare miss.

Heightened energy will envelop the biggest province of the Bicol Region, converging in its capital — Pili. A motorcade of bright colors and rhythmic sounds will kick off festivities, participated in by the province’s 32 municipalities and two cities. Visitors will be welcomed by a marching band, dancers garbed in red-hot costumes, fire eaters and fire throwers plus a people at the height of their joy, their faces painted with just the perfect art: a smile.

Under Gov. Luis Raymund Villafuerte’s leadership, the Kaogma Festival guarantees to live up to what it is touted to be: the hottest festival of the Philippines.

On the week of the festivities, Pili will be dressed up to highlight the ‘scorch level’ of the celebration. The town will be festooned with ingenious buntings of sili. Yes, you read it right — Pili will literally be painted red ... and using siling labuyo as banderitas, too! The festival will also have a week-long trade fair featuring booths of local handicrafts, clothes, furniture, and hot, hot, hot food. Tourists will definitely not run out of things to buy and food to taste!

Also lined up are a Buruntulan (boxing matches), a 4x4 event (where Bicol offroaders will drive 20 to 25 4x4 vehicles) and a Motocross event, which will have 150 participants demonstrating their revving skills. There will also be a Search for Ms. Camarines Sur and the Star Kidz Search.

The festival reaches its climax with a sizzling parade on the last day, described as the country’s answer to New Orleans’ Mardi Gras. Kaogma’s parade will be hot! It will be beautiful, colorful, magnificent, the thrill of a lifetime! An experience one should not miss!

A mere eight hours of land travel from Metro Manila (a shorter trip if one travels by plane), Camarines Sur is a province awaiting a visit. It is a beautiful province which boasts of nice beaches and stunning waterfalls. Kaogma Festival is another reason why one should take a trip down south.