Musicians’ group holds online gigs to gather funds for health frontliners

MANILA, Philippines – Eager to gather funds to help health workers in the frontlines against the coronavirus, cause-oriented musicians’ group Musika Publiko is holding daily online benefit gigs dubbed Tugtugan para sa Kalusugan (Music gigs for health).

They’re a network of musicians, composers, music producers, and enthusiasts who are advocating for and producing “songs that reflect the times and inspire people to do good or act for real change.”

Through these online benefit gigs, they hope to encourage people to donate to Citizens’ Disaster Response Center (CDRC) while listening to performances from some of their beloved musicians. (READ: LIST: How to help healthcare workers, frontliners during coronavirus pandemic)

CDRC, a disaster-response non-governmental organization, has been providing support for 50 health workers at the East Avenue Medical Center, 1,433 health workers at the National Kidney Transplant Institute, and 20 health workers at the Philippine Orthopedic Center.

CDRC has been cooperating with health-based NGOs and unions to immediately respond to basic and important needs such as personal protective equipment of health workers from both public and private hospitals and medical centers. (LISTEN: Artists’ group dedicates song to coronavirus frontliners)

Since March 23, Musika Publiko has been featuring performances from local and international musicians in a bid to inspire others to show their support to frontliners by giving donations.

Now in its second week, the group has already connected with “friends of friends” from its “original network of bands, musicians, singer-songwriters.”

They now have artists from Central Luzon, North Luzon, Bicol and from abroad to lend their skills and talents for the country’s health workers.

Among those performing in the daily benefit gigs are Pordalab, Gazera, Fallover, Harmony and Horizon, Talahib People’s Music, Karl Ramirez, Janine Santiago, Eugenio Alcaranze, Jana Garcia, Gold Villar, Kit Manlangit, Luna Jcel, Tonyo Serada, and Bea Herrera.

“We thought we might only be able to pull off one or two days of the Tugtugan [Para sa Kalusugan]. Now, we have a lineup of up to Day 13,” Musika Publiko said.

According to Karl Ramirez, one of the main conveners of Tugtugan Para sa Kalusugan, they decided to stage the benefit gigs so they can lend their talents to a good cause.

After the Philippine government imposed a month-long “enhanced” community quarantine in Luzon island to curb the spread of the coronavirus, musicians were forced to cancel their gigs and events.

With free time on their hands, Musika Publiko tried tapping other available musicians to help fund donations drives aimed at supporting health workers during this crisis.

For Ramirez, health workers have needed help and support long before the crisis happened, and it was about time that people gave back when frontliners needed them the most.

“Health sector has been raising their problems and concerns ever since. The pandemic has just brought this up to the spotlight. We will never tire in lending our voices to our health workers to amplify their concerns and to mobilize much needed support for them,” he said.

Aside from raising funds for health workers, Musika Publiko also talks about the country’s healthcare situation during the online gigs.

“We also raise awareness on the issue of healthcare in the country and of course the plight of the health workers, and why they need our help in these desperate times,” they said.

Musika Publiko has long been involved in helping address various social issues in the past years. In 2017, the group launched the Songs for Peace Project following the Marawi Siege. It was their way of forwarding their advocacy for just and lasting peace with the help of artists nationwide.

“Sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas at ng mundo marami ang artist-led initiatives that eventually aided in making the calls for social change stronger, broader (In the history of the Philippines and the world, there have been many artist-led initiatives that eventually aided in making the calls for social change stronger, broader),” they said.

Echoing the sentiments of various civil society groups and artists’ organizations, the group urged the national government to strengthen its measures in addressing the coronavirus outbreak in the Philippines.

“As we raise funds for the frontline health workers, we reiterate our collective call to the national government to address the needs of the most vulnerable communities amidst the enhanced community quarantine, prioritize boosting of the people’s healthcare, and pushing for free and systematic mass testing and treatment of affected individuals to curb the spread of COVID-19,” they said.

Musika Publiko encourages people to help support frontliners by donating to the following accounts:

Bank of the Philippine Islands (Peso account)
Citizens’ Disaster Response Center Foundation, Inc
BPI Acct #: 3051-1186-17

Metrobank (Peso account)
Citizens’ Disaster Response Center
Metrobank Examiner Branch, Quezon City, Philippines
Account Number: 636-3-63600741-3

Metrobank (Dollar account)
Citizens’ Disaster Response Center
Metrobank Examiner Branch, Quezon City, Philippines
Account Number: 636-2-63600158-3
Swift Code: MBTCPHMM

PayPal
info@cdrc-phil.com 

– Rappler.com