Holy Week
NO HOLDS BARRED |
Armida Siguion-Reyna |
In the ’80s, years before I became a born-again Christian, I’d get invited to sing in San Pablo City for religious processions.
My good friend Ado Escudero’s family had three santos that took part in the annual procession, in strongly Catholic San Pablo. The singing would be done on the balconies of the various houses that lined the main street, during the parade of santos. This used to be a big affair that attracted the participation of out-of-towners and not just a few tourists.
The first time Ado invited me to sing there, I requested yet-to-be National Artist Lucrecia Kasilag to write an original composition to fit the occasion. Ms. Kasilag forthrightly came up “Pieta,” a moving song about the Virgin Mother and her son, and the good woman didn’t charge a centavo for the job.
Restie Umali also did several songs for my San Pablo outings, with lyrics by Levi Celerio, another future National Artist. Like King Kasilag, Restie did not charge a centavo for the religious songs that included “Balaraw sa Puso,” part of which goes:.... MORE
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120403com4.html
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