Montet & friends sing for Hope

Toti Fuentes was one of the country’s leading musical directors some years ago when his brilliant career suffered a setback after he was stricken with cancer. Today though, many pounds lighter but still very much indefatigable, Fuentes is back on his feet and doing what he loves most, making music. But he has added something more to this. As a gesture of thanks for the gift of life and in an effort to help others battling disease and other physical ills, he has set up the Hope for the World Philippines, Inc.

This is an extension of the World of Hope Foundation, a US-based organization Fuentes and former schoolmate Fr. Michael Semana put up 17 years ago. They have gone on many medical missions since. They have also funded scholarships and helped thousands of the less-fortunate in the Philippines. Fuentes and friends are again airing a call for donations to the Foundation. This is help, not for himself but for the others he has made it his mission to guide through difficult times.

As Fuentes himself says in his letter of appeal, "When I got sick with cancer, it was only natural that Hope for the World Philippines would find itself helping other cancer victims like myself. But we have also helped others like the three-year-old boy from Laoag who was born with club-feet. He has been operated on and is now learning to walk like a normal child.

"Your donations will go a long way towards helping such patients. As a token of our appreciation, we are giving away an album Montet & Friends that I have produced with my manager/mentor Bibsy Carballo and dear friends who donated their time and talent to put this cause together. I hope you enjoy the music and the songs, for as you all well know, music is my life and my reason for hanging on and hoping that there will still be many more years of music for me on earth."

Montet & Friends: Unexpected Songs and Duets, a Gift from Hope for the World Philippines topbills internationally-renowned dramatic tenor Ramon Acoymo. Better known as Montet, Acoymo is the Dean of the College of Music of the University of the Philippines. This means that donors to the World of Hope will get to listen to Montet’s recording and find out why he is an artist the country is truly proud of. Adding to the pleasure of listening to Montet’s voice is the fact that he has chosen to sing beautiful "unexpected" songs we seldom hear these days in the album. Among these are Unexpected Song from Song and Dance and Lilly’s Eyes from Secret Garden.

Performing with Montet are friends who love to sing and want to do their bit for World of Hope. The other cuts and artists included are Like a Lover with Chiqui Roa-Puno; Waiting in Vain by Richard Signey; The Girl from Ipanema with Alma Concepcion; Only Love by Manolet Garcia; Only Hope with Flexi Sarte; What Kind of Fool Am I and Who Can I Turn To with Ricky Davao; Lilly’s Eyes with Allan Mirasol; Coming Home, another original by Fuentes; That’s What Friends are For by everybody; and Great is the Lord by Fr. Joseph Skelton Jr.

Fuentes, who now resides in the US, has returned to the Philippines to officially launch Montet & Friends. Billed as With Love in Our Hearts from Toti & Friends, the event will be held at Merk’s Bar & Bistro tonight at 9. Call 721-0801 or 09178991835 for inquiries.

Top 10 Videos, Top 20 Hits

From MYX, the Filipino music channel, here are the Top 10 videos from last week: Kahit Pa from Hale; Gemini by Sponge Cola; Especially for You from M.Y.M.P.; Helena by My Chemical Romance; Sorry by Cueshé; Shake It Off by Mariah Carey; Tumatakbo by Mojofly; Wake Up! by Hilary Duff; Someday I Will Understand by Britney Spears; and F.U. by Bamboo.

From Tower Records and Music One comes the Top 20 hit list from last week. These are: Memories of Love: Live by Kevyn Lettau and other artists; Versions And Beyond by M.Y.M.P.; The Company Anthology by The CompanY; Nina Live by Nina; Chillout Project: Sisters of the Sun by Various Artists; Hale by Hale; American Idiot by Green Day; Side A: Gig Live by Side A; Halina sa Parokya ni Edgar by Parokya ni Edgar; and 2Hot by Various Artists.