Songs of freedom: Live Jam performances to revisit on the 35th People Power anniversary

On February 25, 1986, Filipinos took to the streets to culminate a series of protests against the violent dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.

The demonstrations saw crowds flooding the long stretch of one of Metro Manila’s main thoroughfares, EDSA – with people raising their voices against the human rights abuses and corruption that were rampant under the Marcos regime. The protests, now remembered as the People Power Revolution, led to the exile of the Marcos family, and the restoration of democracy.

As we mark the 35th People Power anniversary, we round up past Live Jam performances by Filipino artists that might inspire revolution, freedom, and love for country as people commemorate the event from their homes in the middle of a pandemic:

Buklod

Formed at the height of the anti-Marcos struggle, the band, made up of Noel Cabangon, Rom Dongeto, and Rene Boncocan, knows exactly what it means to raise their voice against injustice. The band performed on Live Jam in 2018 – 3 decades after they first began performing at political events – ending the show with an acoustic version of “Tatsulok,” their classic anthem calling out social injustice.

Ja Quintana

The ethinic jazz artist is not afraid of being outspoken in her music, which she uses to bring light to various sociopolitical and environmental issues. In this Live Jam, she opens with her song “Guliat,” where she repeats the line “Maririnig nila ang iyong sigaw (they will hear your cry).”

Glaiza de Castro

In 2018, the singer-actress starred in the film Liway as the title character, Cecilia Flores-Oebanda, an anti-Marcos dissident who is thrown in a prison camp with her son, Dakip, who she tries to protect from their harsh reality by singing him songs and telling him stories. Glaiza appeared on Live Jam to perform songs from the movie – giving people more insight into the life of a political detainee during the Marcos dictatorship.

Joey Ayala at Ang Bagong Lumad with Dong Abay

Rockstars Joey Ayala and Dong Abay came together to sing some of Joey’s timeless hits, as well as Dong’s incendiary performance of Yano’s “Banal na Aso, Santong Kabayo” – a favorite protest anthem.

Martin Riggs

The singer-songwriter punctuated his love songs with “Damaso,” his song that rages against the hypocrisy of those in power.

Lolita Carbon

The folk rock icon’s voice has inspired generations of people to be more socially aware – her most iconic songs speak of protecting the environment and longing for freedom, and she performs them on her Rappler Live Jam set from 2017.

– Rappler.com