I watched last Sunday evening’s ABS-CBN’s “Harapan” with Karen Davila and Julius Babao about the RH Bill controversy where they split the live audience between the antis and the pros of this bill. I have written extensively on this issue, hence I won’t deal on the moral issue anymore, after all, anyone who defies the will of God will be answerable to God when the time comes. Let me just focus on the issue of overpopulation and whether this is the reason why the Philippines is a poor country.
Former Sen. Jose “Joey” Lina answered this question perfectly… that the government’s mismanagement of our resources and unbridled corruption has made our country poor. It’s a no-brainer that the richest and the most powerful people in this country are those who have strong connections with our political and government leaders. That’s how bad corruption here is. Many times I have written that the people who live in Metro Manila are the ones who believe that we are overpopulated. Anti-cleric Carlos Celdran asked the anti-RH panel to walk the streets of Manila. Perhaps Mr. Celdran ought to also walk the streets of many of our provinces that are sparsely populated, like Samar, Leyte or Bukidnon or Negros.
Listening to the arguments of Rep. Janet Garin and Lisa Hontiveros gave the TV viewers a clearer picture of what the RH Bill is all about, that it is a population control program. Of course the co-author Rep. Edcel Lagman denies this, but my question to him is, “If the RH Bill is good for our people, then why make it a criminal offense if columnists or media persons write negative stories about the RH bill if it is signed into law?”
After the Harapan show was over, ABS-CBN came up with the results of their survey. Only 34.62 percent wants the RH Bill passed, while a whooping 65.38 percent don’t want the RH Bill to be passed. This survey belies that SWS Report that said 80 percent of Filipinos support the RH Bill. Clearly the people watching Harapan listened and decided that the RH Bill is not good for the Filipino people, especially for families. Now, what I would like to know from Karen Davila is how many people responded to the ABS-CBN survey?
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Last Friday night, we graced the launching of the book by famous Filipino artist, violin virtuoso and musical crusader Gilopez Kabayao entitled “Artist for the Filipino People: Gilopez Kabayao” at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel. In the afternoon, he gave a free matinee concert at the Ballroom for 500 poor children from the various schools and orphanages in Cebu. In the evening, he gave a free concert before the formal launching of his book.
I’m glad that Gilopez Kabayao, especially his wife Corazon and children Sicilienne and Farida whom we also interviewed on our TV show, “Straight from the Sky” made this book on his six decades as a rare Filipino talent who played in Carnegie Hall on March 18, 1950 which gained him praises by New York Times and the New York Herald Tribune. He also held an afternoon concert in the Grosser Musivereinssal (The Great Music Hall) in Vienna in 1961. Few Filipino music artists would match his ability.
I have known Gilopez Kabayao when my mother would bring me to his concerts in Cebu and since then I have only a great admiration for him. The last time I heard him play was five years ago during the funeral mass for my mentor and friend, the late Sir Max V. Soliven where he played my favorite piece, Massenet’s “Meditation” from the opera “Thais”.
I was thrilled when my daughter’s close friend, Ms. Lianne Sala emailed me about the book launching and I requested her to invite Mr. Kabayao to guest on my show and he happily accepted. It wasn’t just a talkshow about the life and times of Gilopez Kabayao and his collaboration or partnership with his wife Corazon, but his family played for our audience.
While he’s advancing in his age, I’m glad that he had the book made while he is still alive so he could tell his life story himself and I found his greatness in his strong faith . . . thanking our Lord Jesus Christ for the great blessing and talent given to him and his family. We’ve heard too often during the Academy Awards those winners who shout that they won those accolades by themselves. Few winners would dare give their thanks to God.
Gilopez Kabayao has been giving out free concerts all over the country with his faithful partner and wife Corazon on the piano. A full-packed Araneta Coliseum, a basketball court in many provinces and even playing before patients in a mental ward. What I can’t understand is why until now, the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) has not bestowed upon him the title of “National Artist.” We Filipinos are proud of the famous exploits of boxing legend Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, but no one gives any attention to a musical legend that is Gilopez Kabayao.
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For e-mail responses to this article, write to vsbobita@mozcom.com or vsbobita @gmail.com. His columns can be accessed through http://www.philstar.com.