MANILA, Philippines - Pag-ugyon means united and it was this spirit of solidarity and sharing that recently brought some of the country’s top cultural performers together at SM MOA Centerstage for the benefit of Typhoon Yolanda victims in Negros.
A joint project of Sinag Arts Foundation in cooperation with SM, the program was initiated to raise needed funds for additional aid for the victims of Yolanda. While there has been more focus on Leyte and Samar, several families along the coastline of Cadiz, Negros Occidental have been devastated by the typhoon, and are in need of shelter, food, water and clothes. In this light, concerned Negrenses have initiated efforts to alleviate the effects of the calamity.
Prima ballerina Liza Macuja-Elizalde led the way with an excerpt from Swan Lake. Tenor Dondi Ong sang Oh Holy Night with Cocoy Laurel, while mezzo soprano Maricris Joaquin sang Climb Every Mountain and Fray Paolo Casurao performed En El Portal de Belen and Payapang Daigdig with flutist Gaille Ramos.
Lou Bonnevie rocked by performing Come Together by Beatles; while Aliw Hall of Fame awardee Miguel Aguila serenaded the crowd with a medley of songs like On The Wings of Love and I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing,
The cast of the Legend of M, a musical on environment care and preservation with a libretto by Fides Cuyugan Asencio and music by Raymond and Jeannelle Roldan also showed some excerpts from the musical piece.
The IFRS Performing Artists from Asian countries like India, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea and Vietnam also showcased their traditional dances for a cause; as did the St. Scholastica’s H.S. Rondalla, which played a Filipino Folk Song Medley, and the Maris High School Singers who sang Diwa ng Pasko.
The event drew a lot of support from members of the local and foreign community who pledged their contributions for the rehabilitation of Negros.
Pag-ugyon, a cultural show for Negros, is one of the many projects SM has undertaken to assist the Yolanda victims.