Hip hop for a cause

MANILA, Philippines – A group of Filipino Hip Hop and RnB artists performs to raise money for kids with biliary atresia.
Pia Ranada reports.

One-year-old Chloee Gabayan goes to the hospital every week.
Her bile duct is blocked, causing toxins to be released directly into her liver, which leads to liver failure.
The condition is called biliary atresia, and it’s fatal.
To survive, Chloee needs 3 to 4 million pesos for a liver transplant.
Her parents are struggling to pay mounting hospital bills.

MARYVAL MALABONGA & JOEY GABAYAN, PARENTS OF CHLOEE: Bale everytime na papasok kami sa PGH, maliit na yung 30,000 pag lalabas na kami dahil sa mamahal ng gamot, yung downpayment po pagpasok sa PGH. (Every time we enter PGH, 30,000 is the smallest amount we spend when we exit because of the high cost of medicine and the downpayment to PGH.)

The situation seems hopeless, but hope comes from the unlikeliest of places.
In this case, from the world of hip hop.
Pinoy Hiphoppaz gathers hip hop and RnB artists to raise funds for babies with biliary atresia.
Founder Jug Ramos says the group began helping babies four years ago.

JUG RAMOS, FOUNDER OF PINOY HIPHOPPAZ: November of 2010, one of my former student approached me for help. I decided to gather the hip hop community to try to raise funds, most importantly raise awareness about a sickness like that. Then after that, certain mothers found out about it and Hustle for Jaslyn and Hustle for Hannah came out in 2011, so this is the fourth one.

More than 20 hip hop and RnB artists perform at “Hustle for Chloee.”

JUG RAMOS, FOUNDER OF PINOY HIPHOPPAZ: I want to show people here that there is heart within the hip hop community.

It’s an intimate gathering electrified by a sense of purpose.
By the end of the night, the concert was able to raise around P19,000.
Rapper Bebe Riz says “Hustle for Chloee” is an empowering experience.

RIZZA “BEBE RIZ” BRAGA, RAPPER: I felt uplifted na ang hip hop community is starting to help out those who are in need. Hindi lang yung parang to represent yourself. It’s really to help out the community. (I felt uplifted that the hip hop community is starting to help out those who are in need. It’s not just about representing yourself.)

Pia Ranada, Rappler, Manila.

– Rappler.com