Music for Marawi BY MAXIMIANO MAXIMO TUASON, JR., UPAA
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rawing on music as a response to crisis, the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA), led by President and Alumni Regent Ramon M. Maronilla, staged a concert, “MarAwit… Awit para sa Marawi,” featuring three of the country’s most internationally acclaimed and awarded choral groups—the UP Concert Chorus, the UP Madrigal Singers, and the UP Singing Ambassadors.
ranking Philippine government and University officials, UP alumni and students, fans of the three choral groups, and plain music lovers.
In the wake of the fourmonth siege by government forces to liberate Marawi City, which had been occupied by ISIS-affiliated Maute and Abu Sayyaf Groups, these three luminaries of Philippine music made history by performing together for the first time on one stage. The goal: extend a helping hand towards the education of the afflicted children of Marawi.
The proceeds of the concert will be used through a UPAA project dubbed “Pabaon sa Pagbangon,” whereby at least 50 Mindanao State University graduating students in Marawi City will be given monthly allowances of PhP1,000 each for one school year to help them finish their college education.
The UPAA partnered with the Sigma Rho Fraternity Alumni Council to produce the fund-raising concert, which saw the three world-famous ensembles singing singly, in tandem, and all three at once. A resounding success The concert, held on February 27, 2018, at Cine Adarna of the UP Film Center in the UP Diliman campus in Quezon City, was a resounding success, well attended by high 12
Carillon
Although held in a relatively small venue with less than 800 seats), “MarAwit… Awit para sa Marawi” netted over PhP700,000 for the education of the youngsters of devastated Marawi City.
for one semester), plus allowance for books and transportation (P2,000 per student per month for one semester). The UPAA also sponsored comedian Willie Nepomuceno in a show titled “Comic Relief: It’s more fund in the Philippines” on December 14, 2013, at the Music Museum in Greenhills, San Juan City. The rib-tickling, rollicking show filled the venue to the rafters.
“Pabaon sa Pagbangon”
This was not the first instance in recent years for the UPAA to reach out to their calamity-stricken countrymen. After super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) desolated Tacloban City and the Samar-Leyte provinces in November 2013, the UPAA became involved in several outreach projects. For the benefit of UP students, faculty, and staff deprived of facilities and resources, the UPAA provided food for 226 UP Diliman and UP Visayas Tacloban College students (three meals per day
Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy President and Mindanao State University Regent Amina Rasul expresses her gratitude on behalf of Mindanao State University students who will receive a monthly allowance for one year to help them finish their college education. Photo courtesy of UPAA.