Writing Back

            Time is fleeting as the wind. It seems indeed like only yesterday when this writer rested its column ‘Rainbow” in this paper  where issues of both local and national concern clearing for easy understanding issues of the day were covered.. The truth is as rainbow appears through refraction after  rain and fades away when the sky clears, I deliberately shelved it hanging in the air in favor of producing this writer’s RFM Himig Mindanao that comes in three volumes – Vocals, Instrumentals and Minus One. You should know because music, like writing  has been an extension of my intestines  for the past thirty long years in fact even  earlier  before I developed my appetite in writing. Man does not live by bread alone also  bread, butter, pen and music if I may  rewrite the gospel and why not. The many battlefronts you join, the merrier and better. That too in real life, is rainbow. Or payback time, you might say never mind modest What good anyway it takes  when as writer or artist you can’t  translate your work  into simple economics after  investing  your time and resources into it  at the end of the day. Chance, that’s how my mentor back then at Land Reform and Training Institute, Taipei, Taiwan  redefine Economics (unfortunately not one among us  twenty six international participants got it  right!)

So far so good as I’m producing the second 100 CDs for the market having  sold out  the initial first  one hundred copies of  Volume II  copyrighted just last May. The CD contains thirteen original tracks featuring Magsasaka, my national award winning piece and Mindanao, the banner song of the album. I have more than one hundred musical instruments at my disposal in writing the songs using digital technology; thus, you can be assured  that your day would be never be the same again after hearing Himig Mindanao.  The songs were afterall my synthesis on cacophony of sounds coming out  from  different issues happening in Mindanao affecting common tao from hostility to destruction of mother nature, agrarian reform to restlessness  - social volcano that already erupted right in our midst only we didn’t give damn about them  because of blinders of politics deeply engrained in our veins. I confess that it took just one candle to complete writing the lyrics composing, and arranging the songs myself. Unfortunately though,  that candle is as big as coconut tree! But all is well that’s ends well  after night’s hard labor. Listeners would say it was difficult coming out with the project. Okay I agree. But with digital technology and God up there blessing your work and His message of peace through Himig , why not. I would even daresay it is all magic! In sum, Himig Mindanao calls for peace within, community, nation, environment and most specially with God Himself.  Did He not enjoined us anyway “that as much as possible as it depends on us, we should live peaceably with everyone.” (Romans 12:18)

My heartfelt thanks then for these generous people for extending the necessary lift: Kag. Victor R. Villamin of Malitbog, Bukidnon for personally facilitating  copyright application  from National Library, Manila; father and son tandem of Sir Knight Joe  and Ian Balili of Brave Knight’s Printing Press for their graphics and printing facilities par excellence; Jun Gultiano of Hi-lite Studio for pictorials; Ian Panilagao for editing and enhancement of CD; Nazareth Kag. Phillip Abrogar and Abner Paraguya, Giovanni Alatan of Media Resource Center, Bukidnon State University for allowing the use of their respective recording facilities  in initial recording of Volume I – Vocals. Special thanks to kind-hearted patrons and sponsors for infusing blood to the project through their modest but priceless tokens pushing Himig Mindanao out in the open for good –Jean Ragandang Lopez, Mr. & Mrs. Bebot Oraiz, Dr. Ronnie Bongocan, Col. & Mrs. Tony de la Cruz and to those waiting in the wings raring to sponsor the Volume I. Please do or you might simply hear clipped voices reeking of violence, division and destruction grating to our ears instead of RFM’s cool and  resonant voice interpreting those events in a very special musical way. The two appreciations  are left to two equally   important persons:  DAR-10 Regional Dir. John Maruhom, CESO IV for his support in polishing the unruffled diamond in the Region and Mr. Ernesto Chu, owner and publisher of this paper for having regularly patronized creative minds in the City. For more constructive review and critiques of my work – I’m leaving that to professionals to return to me the compliment. But for your direct and personal study on my work, you can visit ww

w.freewebs.com/himigmindanao/. Be sure though that you have personal copy of the CD as it’s a collector’s item  and refreshingly beautiful one hour and three minutes musical journey general listening pleasure guaranteed. Copies are available at XU Museum, Belamide Music Center, MGSD Main Office, DAR-10, Macanhan. Atty. Macodi Agus Law Office, Brave Knights Printing Press, Cagayan de Oro City at P180.00 per CD. You can contact this writer (09067745567) for special delivery.

So much with that stuff.  Writing would always be there come what may.  Once a writer as in music, would always remain a writer. Unless of course you don’t give damn nor feel crazy about events happening in the country.  For evil to thrive, simply relish seeing good men doing nothing.  That’s a no-no attitude and simply rhetorical as such is a mistake  any mediaman cannot afford to commit.  Media designated as Fourth Estate acting as watchmen on three other equally important institutions is definitely very tall order.  But the true blue-blooded practitioners just did it at the expense even of their lives.

This is so for writers like other spokespersons in the community are not only blessed with gantas when God created men compare to handfuls given to the rest but most specially, have minds pregnant with meanings. Moreover, they have   better appetites in pursuing and developing their consummate skills.  They come in different packages – graduates of paperbacks the likes of Blas Ople; college drop-outs or undergrads the likes of PDI’s Conrad de Quiros, Nick Joaquin and NVM Gonzales or  plain retirees that pursue writing first as hobbies and later as career the likes of Joseph Conrad, Irving Wallace and Agatha Christie or simply man with gung-ho personality to learn the craft like Ninoy Aquino.  Different persuasions, idealism and creed but the essentials remains the same – that of communicating driving home a message across the general reading public for good..

As for style I submit that any person aspiring to become a writer should be a wordsmith or what you  write would end up as maze or an abstract not allowing  tone color to develop.  That means you must use the language of the people using standard grammar, syntax and consistent use of tenses. But most importantly, you should know what message your driving across to the receiver.  These are the fields where men are separated from the boys.  No question on honing the aptitude in writing different categories as in straight reporting, editorials, features or  newswriting. Mindanao, no question about this, was once Land of Promise. Wherever that promise delivered and who are benefiting most is yet to be seen and studied.  Its big cities are melting pots and where people  are forming into one cohesive whole there ensues struggle polarizing those who  have from the poor and or fragmented into different ethnic groups; hence, reminding those in powers-that-be  of the excesses committed against  them beyond fair game is definitely worth doing.

 How one develops his write-ups is different.  Incidentally, you can’t just write out of nothing.  Hence as in the past  column, I normally employ research allowing the data to come out naturally first and then make the necessary clincher of what it  implies.  This is crucial as all of the categories writing articles carries with it big impact to the reader.  I remember writing on Divorce as third option  when the issue was like hotcake then hotly debated in both Houses of Congress and Senate before.. Who’s not for divorce anyway given the realities of Filipino marriage specifically how Filipinos institutionalized  querida system. But my God after conducting research – from books, periodicals at Xavier Library – it soon dawned  to this writer that precisely the idea of divorce thrives because of weak foundation of marital bond.  Strengthen it in other words and you’re securing  the sanctity of marriage into the grave. Naturally my conclusion then was – No way for the Third Option! What lesson I both learned as writer and father.

In a nutshell, I’m very comfortable using investigative journalism giving my background in Sociology.  Allan Mediante  in fact enjoined me then  to attend one seminar on the subject sponsored by MGSD. Data, like statistics as my friend now PARO in DAR-Bacolod writes, is  like bikini. It  might be bare and insignificant. But they hide what is important and essentials.

This early as a measure in atoning myself from that long break, I’m attaching four other articles. It’s up  for my Editor-in-Chief Herbie Gomez when to see them printed. They are my social commentaries on Pinoy Media in general relating on Irving Wallace’s works and the trend of media over the years, Bridges, Romblon  as contaminated by endosulfan, CARP, Two Faces of  Boracay and other relevant materials.  As my parting gesture, if you  are enjoying this piece you’ll like getting even more pleasure  hearing his music. Be sure then making  your day  securing RFM Himig Mindanao Vol. II CD and your day will indeed be never be the same again.  Happy reading and listening.