Fil-Am Oscar winner ‘lets it go’ in NYC show

Onstage Sunday night at Oscars when Fil-Am composer Robert John Lopez and his wife/writing partner Kristen Anderson-Lopez received their Best Song Award for Let It Go (from the Disney animated feature Frozen), they must have been so overwhelmed that they forgot to acknowledge the Philippines but more than made up for it during the backstage press interviews when Robert expressed his “Filipino pride!” and at the same time announcing that they were holding a concert for the benefit of the Yolanda victims.

The good news is that, according to Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre, the couple will be among the special guests at the #PinoyRelief Benefit Concert at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Tuesday, March 11.

Said Edmund, “The star-studded event aims to create grants and programs dedicated to the victims of Supertyphoon Haiyan (Yolanda), with beneficiary organizations such as Operation Blessing, Habitat for Humanity, Save the Children, and Give2Asia, along with other local NGO partners.”

Robert now belongs to an elite club known as EGOT (for winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony). He is one of only 12 people who have won all four major awards and the only person to win all of them within a decade. At 39, he is also the youngest to join the EGOT league composed of Audrey Hepburn, Mel Brooks, Mike Nichols, Whoopi Goldberg, Richard Rodgers, Rita Moreno, Helen Hayes, John Gielgud, Marvin Hamlisch, Jonathan Tunick and Scott Rudin.

In 2008, Robert clinched two Daytime Emmys for Best Music Direction and Best Composition for The Wonder Pets. He brought home a Grammy in 2012 for Best Musical Theater Album for The Book of Mormon. He was honored with a Tony in 2004 for Best Original Score for Avenue Q.

Added Edmund, “Robert said he will keep his Oscar next to his three other precious statuettes at home. He and his wife have two daughters, Katie and Annie, who both have voice parts in Frozen.”

Appearing with the Lopezes and performing at the #PinoyRelief concert are American Idol runner-up Jessica Sanchez, A Great Big World, Pentatonix, Plain White T’s, DJ Poet Name Life, REO Brothers and various artists.

Also gracing the event are apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas, Dante Basco and Dr. Mehmet Oz, host of the Dr. Oz Show.

Edmund said that Pinoy Relief was formed last year to generate awareness, raise funds and create sustainable recovery programs for the victims and communities affected by the devastating natural disaster. The focus of the group is to bring the power of a global community (aggregated resources, crisis expertise, and awareness) to help the masses in need at a local level. It also aims to stabilize affected communities by providing resources, life necessities, temporary schools and housing, and temporary facilities and tools to farmers, fishermen, small businesses, teachers, doctors, individuals and families.

Pinoy Relief will make cash grants to local and global NGOs that focus on these priorities with effective measurable outcomes. In addition, as part of these grants, the NGOs will be required to report on the spending and quantified impact showing number of people the relief impacted. It is an Alvarez Foundation partnership initiative, supported by the Philippine-American Chamber of Commerce and the Philippine Consulate General in New York, co-chaired by Abigail C. Alvarez and Antonio Alvarez II, with Dr. Oz, Bryan Marsal, Michael Nierva and Megan Sullivan as board members. Basilia Yao is the Pinoy Relief Team COO, with Daniel Baker as grants advisor.

Administrative costs and overheads for Pinoy Relief are paid for by board members. Thus, 100 percent of public funds raised by Pinoy Relief will go to NGO grants focused on disaster relief and aid for typhoon victims.

Visit www.pinoyrelief.org for more information on how to help.

Charity Diva holds fund-raising show

Token Lizares is known as Charity Diva because almost all of her concerts that she usually produces are for charity. One more is coming up.

On March 22, starting at 7:30 p.m. at Teatrino (Greenhills, San Juan City), Token will have another concert aptly called My Token of Love, proceeds from which will be spent for the renovation of the Holy Family Home of Bacolod Foundation, Inc. in Bacolod City where she hails.

The concert will have as special guest performers Richard Poon, German “Kuya Germs” Moreno, Michael Pangilinan, Prima Diva Billy, Niza Limjap, A.J. Tamisa and Le Chazz, with Alex Datu as front act. Musical director is Butch Miraflor.

“Once renovated, the center will house college girls who are being trained to live independently in preparation for their re-integration in the society,” explained Token. “Holy Family Home-Bacolod Foundation, Inc. is an institution, which provides residential care, protection, prevention, and rehabilitation for abandoned, neglected and orphaned girls. It is a non-stock, non-profit and non-government organization managed by the Congregation of the Capuchin Tertiary Sisters of the Holy Family, a Congregation with Franciscan-Amigonian Spirituality. The Center is duly licensed and accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.”

(For tickets, call 891-9999.)

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