June 3 Topic: Everybody Happy? Everybody Gay!

Yeeeeey!

Let's take a healthier view on our genders. Born gay, follow the ray. Born straight, refuse to hate. (copyright TopPun.com)

Rock Ed Radio will let the guests take charge: Mr. Danton Remoto, chairperson of the Ladlad Partylist confirmed with us already and so did musician, Aiza Seguerra. 2bU and Saturday's Super Inquirer Section editor, Pam Pastor. Film-makers Ramon Bautista and Jun Sabayton will drop by. We also invited Tatum Ancheta Art Director of PeopleAsia.

Paramita's frontwoman Ria Bautista will join us via text and EJ and Ding of Shu Uemura will be there if schedule permits.

Join the forum by texting NUMSG space (message) to 29107 from 8-9pm on Sunday night.

Be with Lourd and Gang as they discuss with the guests the proverbial 'nature vs. nurture' question. Are we born gay and born straight or does our environment mold our gender preference?

Are Filipinos accepting, rejecting, detesting, critical, kind or not towards those who are out?
If we are more open now, why is it still so difficult for many to come out?

Post your thoughtful comments and intelligent questions here for the June 3 episode on being gay in the Philippines.

Guidelines for questions: Walang chismis dito. Usapang ugali, musika, sining at sibika lang. (o sige, Math, Economics, and Science pwede na din)

P.S: tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk .... bawal mag hat sa Aruba.





photo taken by Gang@Greenwich Village, NYC 2003/the insensitive Aruba signage photo borrowed from Pinoy Gay Pride Philippines website.

Rock the Rehas Episode

It was a little difficult to start out this episode because a radio show usually starts off on a perky tone. One's voice tone lilt-change can determine how bored or interested listeners will be. Wala ring nakikitang gestures ng kamay o facial expression so medyo nalito ako kung paano ko uumpisahan ang show dahil maselan ang topic. Mabigat. Pero as Rock Ed Radio has said from the start --let's talk about things we never really talk about. So, we tried this one.

Other than that, Lourd had an important deadline to meet so he couldn't join us earlier. (Sayang talaga, wala ka do'n.)
The "Rock the Rehas" project group is a combination of Rock Ed volunteer writers, still photographers, film-makers, admin and production staff. We also have the advisory board from Libertas Lawyer's League who help us with legalese and the boring stuff. Hehe. This audio-visual project allows the group to visit and spend days in jail and then Rock Ed assists them (us) in producing short film-docus on any angle of our penal system.Joining the group is Ms. Ditsi Carolino, director of the critically-acclaimed film on juveniles in jail entitled, "Bunso." She filmed inside the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center in Cebu, following the daily lives of three minors who were then-imprisoned along with the adult offenders. "Bunso" is a monumental film. It has shed the much-needed light on the shady world of our jail system when it comes to providing options for children in conflict with the law. Many of us think that minors are tried and detained separately -- how wrong we are. (Click photo above to research more on "BUNSO" and if you can organize a screening of it in your school, email ditsicarolino@yahoo.com) More Filipinos should see Ms. Carolino's work.

The alarming congestion in jails is partly because of the alarming ratio of the few public lawyers to the many detainees who need them. In Cebu, a large region is covered by only 20 some public attorneys. Eh isang bilibid lang libo-libo ang naka detain, karamihan hindi maka-afford ng private lawyer. The facts are more startling than you imagine. Cadiz emphasizes the need for swifter processes in representing those who are arrested but praises the efforts of the Public Attorney's Office despite their meager resources.Paolo Picones is a photographer. He has accompanied the group in every jail trip since the project's inception. Paolo mourns the days lost of many inmates who were jailed grossly longer than their supposed sentence. He narrates a conversation he had with someone who stole an item that was less than PhP100. This young man stayed in detention (in all its horror) for over a year waiting for his day in court. Sa bagal ng representation, dahil nga madami masyado ang nangangailangan ng public attorney, matagal bago naka punta sa hearing ang inmate. When he finally got his sentence, the ruling was for him to serve ten days in jail only. No retribution, sorry na lang, boy. Stories like these are abound. Sa isang jail nga, meron nag serve ng 18 years, and it turns out -ang sentence niya ay four years lang. Many of these inmates could've been released if only someone filed for a motion stating that he has already served maximum prison time for the crime committed. Que inosente o hindi, na-serve na niya ang max duration of time behind bars for the crime he is accused of. But since there are not enough clerks or public attorneys who have administrative assistance, nabulok na lang sila sa loob. Shown above is a woman who was outside the BBRC facility in Cebu. Masuwerte ang pamangkin niya dahil siya mismo ang kumulit at tumutok sa P.A.O. para ma-release siya dahil lampas nang dalawang taon sila sa loob na wala pang hearing. (taken March 2007)

This is where the call of Pepe Diokno comes in. We need people to help the public attorneys in the form of encoding case files into an organized Excel file of sorts. Para mas madali ang trabaho nila. Ngayon kasi mano-mano. Ang folders nakatambak lang sa desks. At dahil mabilis ang turn over (mga 3-5 years lang resign na ang mga Public Attorneys) hindi maayos ang pagtransfer ng mga files from lawyer to lawyer, so kadalasan back to square one ang kaso ni Juan de la Cruz.Tado Jimenez is part of the team. In fact, he is so valuable to this team because he is the most popular figure in the group. Natutuwa sila agad pag nakikita si Tado, lumalamig ang atmosphere. I've seen him in action with the inmates, natutunaw ang apprehension ng mga siga sa loob kasi disarming ang charm ni Tado. He is also working on a series of docus on his own. (title DokumenTADO) One of which will be on jails. He says that many of the minors he's interviewed would prefer to stay inside the jails because life is harder for them outside. Frustration is hard to disguise even for someone so cheerful and uppity as Tado.
This sentiment echoed by film-maker Pepe Diokno. A point that Pepe shared that startled him the most, was the situation of families allowed to stay in with their inmate parents. We met toddlers and young children who live with their fathers inside the detention centers. On the surface they look okay, playing with the rest of the manongs and 'titos' inside the jails but Pepe wonders about the effect this has on their psyche when or as they get older. As we all probably will from now on.
Beside Ditsi Carolino is Libertas Rehas project head, Leslie Umaly. She takes care of the administrative side. She is in charge of charming all the wardens to allow us to shoot further in the institution walls. She is in charge of scheduling and budgets and etc. But her more crucial role is that she accompanies me when I interview inside the cells. Many times I get stumped while I exchange stories with men and women accused of triple homicides, statutory rapes, burglary etc. Drug addicts who still have their ticks from withdrawal are calmed down when they realize that all we want is to hear their story. Leslie shares a story of an old man whose bail was stolen from him, even after pawning his own family's home to get out of detention. It turns out the amount required was a lot bigger. (dahil maling impormasyon ang nabigay, dahil nga walang nakatutok sa kaso nyang Public Attorney o kamag-anak) And this man, apparently, stole some ground wires from PLDT so he can sell it for food. It doesn't get better from here, Leslie explains. There are more stories, and more grave ones at that. There really is much to be done. Wala na rin kaming masabi dagdag dito kasi dyahe naman umiyak on air.
All of us listen to Ditsi as she explains that many of the minors who are convicted are remanded inside to "teach them a lesson" even by their parents. But what many of us don't realize that there are little programs inside designed for rehabilitation. Many blame budget, a lot more blame the corruption and pillaging that goes on with the higher ups. The system inside is also rotten. Drugs are easily slipped in. Violence and sexual invasions are not even mentioned yet. We can't even imagine what goes on when the lights are off, gates are locked, and visitors gone. Therefore mas malala pa ang ugali ng mga bata paglaya nila kesa nung bago sila pumasok sa kulungan. Lalo sila naging mabagsik at lalong nagkaroon ng pait o galit. At lalo silang nasanay sa mundo ng krimen.
The poet Kris Lacaba has a different take. He worries a lot about the food. What he remembers most is that some inmates have experienced being served rotten food, or may mga pako o bubog sa ulam dahil na asar ang cook sa isang grupo ng inmates. He also shared na malaki na ang PhP40/day na budget for meals per inmate. It was impossible to imagine what kind of sustenance you can get from that kind of provision. Yun ay kung hindi pa kinukupit ang pondo. Madalas ang nagpapa-survive at saya lang sa mga inmates ay kung binibisita sila ng pamilya nila at nagdadala ng pagkain para sa kanila. Most of the inmates have no relatives. In fact, many of those I interviewed, for some reason, are detained far from their hometowns. So hindi din sila mabisita ng kamag-anak. Offshoot nito ang masahol na health problems sa loob. Ang haba din ng usapan na yon. Kulang oras.
Bago kami matuluyang magbigti sa depression at frustration with the system, may advice si Tado sa mga magpapa-arresto. Nang matawa naman tayo: "Wag kayo mag pa arresto ng Biyernes. Kasi matatagalan ng dalawang araw ang detention ninyo kasi sa Lunes pa mag bubukas ang opisina ulit. Maski ang pam-piyansa mo sa Lunes na ma-po-process. Patay ka dun." Mahirap man, natawa na lang ang grupo. Madalas naman tayong mga Pinoy pag grabe ang hinaharap, bumabagsak sa tawanan. Eh ganun talaga. Pero ang oras at pagod na inaalay ng grupong ito ay patunay na hindi sagot ang "ganun ata talaga."

So please lang. Mag volunteer kayo o tumulong kayo sa mga NGO na may ginagawa para sa mga nasa piitan. Maski ano na. Sige. Word encoding. Mangolekta ng mga chess sets. Mag donate ng mga magasin. Art materials. Maski ano na. Magturo tayo ng math o science o poetry sa bilibid. Game. (email: projectsrock@yahoo.com ATTENTION: Leslie/Rock the Rehas Project)
Oftentimes in the hour, we just stared at points in the room. Not quite used to verbalizing the stories on broadcast level. Amongst us during our road trips and provincial apartelle dinners we would discuss at length. We were free-er to cuss and rant the harsh harsh harsh realities we have seen to the real real real men, women, and children that we meet. Pushed to a life of crime because of hunger, homelessness, lack of opportunities, sub-human living conditions in closed quarters. Who is to blame? Moot question. Let's try to proceed from where we are right now and this is our reality. Too much poverty, too little education, never enough public attorneys, corrupt administrations, unequal treatment of the rich and poor even if both are criminals in the (supposed level) eyes of justice.

Practical ways to solve this?---we need programmers and encoders help the Public Attorneys with their case files, students can collect toiletries or games or guitars or whatever you can donate for them to be a little more dignified while passing the time inside. I don't know what else. I am just as frustrated but at least we can explore this further.
Via SMS:

TOP TEN MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PRISON:
by Lourd de Veyra

1. THEY DON'T RAPE EACH OTHER ANYMORE --Forget everything you've seen on "Shawshank Redemption" or "Lock Up." Conjugal visits have reduced the incidence of homosexual behaviour inside jails. Although this is not entirely true. As we have seen in Tarlac where the 'mayor' took the ex macho dancer as his 'good friend.'
2.NOT ALL JAIL WARDENS LOOK AND ACT LIKE PAQUITO DIAZ -- Contrary to what you've seen on Rudy F's or FPJ films, most modern-day wardens (esp in Cebu) are young, enlightened and sympathetic to a degree.
3.INMATES DO NOT SPEND THEIR TIME STARING INTO SPACE -- For chrissakes, they have DVDs! and the titles range from FPJ hits to porn. All pirated, of course. Some jails have videokes.
4.INMATES ARE NOT NATURALLY VIOLENT, PSYCHOTIC, AND BLOODTHIRSTY --They do not bite. They will not snatch your bag or mash your boobs when you visit. They are all nice human beings. They will appreciate being talked to in a normal manner. Most of them, at least.
5.NO ONE IS FORCED TO JOIN A GANG -- No tattoos are forced on you. Participation in gangs is always an individual decision. But remember, the moment you choose one side.....good luck.
6.THEY DON'T WEAR THOSE ORANGE SHIRTS WITH 'P' ON THE BACK --Most of them are just half-naked because it's just so hot inside.
7. THEY'RE NOT ENTIRELY SOBER INSIDE -- Contraband items like liquor and even drugs can be conveniently slipped in. Happy times!
8. MOST OF THEM EAT LIKE ANIMALS -- There is an increasing variety of cheap canned items and instant foods. Especially for those with constant "dalaws."
9. THE RICH STILL HAVE IT EASY INSIDE --Better food, better lawyers. etc. Even behind bars, they're different from you and me.
10. MOST OF THEM NEVER LEARN THEIR LESSONS -- "See you again." is an oft-heard phrase.

Trying not to let the topic of the night bog us down is a difficult task. Even after the show, we are more grim than we expected. There really is much to be done. We have to speed up the way we figure out our participation in 'righting-this-so-wrong-wrong.'

If congestion is the most pressing problem of our jails today, then we should re-think our solutions. It is not so much in the construction of bigger and stronger facilities, it probably isn't in thicker bars or better food. I think this problem is solved multi-laterally. Press on the improvement of our education system, decongest the cities so people are not cramped inside closed quarters where crimes like incest, statutory rapes, homicide, parricide etc are easier to commit, emphasize population management --that way parents can focus on children more, sabay sabay lahat yan ina-address para malunasan ang isang problemang ito. There are two types of problems, I learned somewhere. There are problems themselves, and there are those that are symptoms of other bigger problems. Minsan ang ubo ay hindi lang ubo, kundi simptomas ng mas malalang kapansanan, maaring lung cancer o TB. Hindi kaya ng cough syrup lang.Ang masikip na bilibid ay simptomas ng mas malalim na problema. There is a deeper, bigger, wider and taller problem other than the congestion of jails. It could be bad governance, corruption, wrong priorities, and our apathy. Then again, what do I know. None of us are experts on this one. We don't have real answers but we hope to provoke more questions. Minsan doon galing ang aksyon.I must admit I have a difficult time managing how I feel whenever we are out on our jail visits weeks. Sometimes eight days straight we visit 6-7 facilities. Everyday new faces, same stories. Varying shades of violence and injustice. It takes a toll, really. (parang gusto ko lang mag Walt Disney DVD marathon pag uwi ko o kaya pumapak ng Xanax) But what would be more frustrating is if many of the ideas will not be implemented kasi walang nag volunteer. Obviously, hindi namin kaya kung kami-kami lang. Sama kayo. Problema natin 'to.

Hindi lang nila. Atin din 'to.

-Gang Badoy

Additional author's note: It's 6:32am. I haven't slept writing this one. But I will sleep happy because I've received over 15 emails volunteering to help encode case files at a public attorney's office. Salamat. Salamat talaga. ZZzzz. -Gang

photos of radio show guests by GabbyCantero.JayCapati.MikeCampillanes.copyright2007. photos of Bagong Buhay Rehab Center by GangBadoy.copyright 2007. "Bunso" photo taken by NanaBuxani.copyright2004

JailInfoResearchby:PhylLorenzo.AggieNonog.May-Anne.Umaly.PJ.Lapira.TeamLestat.

Rock Ed Radio on the Round

You are free to comment on the past topics and address questions to past guests. You can either post it here or email commentsrock@gmail.com. We will forward your queries to the people and they will try their best to reply. This way, the conversation continues to go around.

And although we prepare topics ahead of time, we are open to topics that you think we should discuss on air. Gusto namin malaman sino-sino ang mga gusto niyong i-guest namin sa show. So suggest people to us and we will try to invite them. Maski sino! Hahanapin natin sila.

There are little limits to what can be discussed on Rock Ed Radio. For as long as we are within the lines of respectful dialogue, interesting conversation, and helpful insight on things about our society, okey kami do'n.

Our goal is to provoke more questions. Venture towards some answers. (Because some questions have no answers) Learn from each other. Bonus na lang kung nakaka-aliw ang usapan ng mga guests. Extra na lang yon.

There is so much we need to learn.

Tune in on Sundays @8pm on the Home of NUrock, NU107 FM.
Rock Ed Radio. Where learning is still the new rock and roll.

In photo Giniling Festival, Noel Cabangon, Pepe Diokno, Lourd, Gang and Jay. photo taken by lomographer.photographer.guitarist.chef.Rock Ed volunteer.GabbyCantero copyright 2007

May 27 Topic: Rock the Rehas -- Jails in the Philippines-- the little that we know of our jail system.

Eavesdrop on a film-docu team's recount of the things they've witnessed in jails. Rock Ed Radio is a discussion on things we think we know about society but probably don't. So let's try this one.

Guests: Tado, Atty. Cadiz, Kris Lacaba, Pepe Diokno, Leslie Umaly. (Lourd de Veyra and Gang Badoy are part of this documentary project) We are waiting for Ditsi Carolino, creator of BUNSO to confirm her schedule.

Ano alam niyo tungkol sa mga bilanggo?

Nakulong ka na ba? Ano ang naging experience mo doon?

May kamag-anak ba kayo o kakilala na nakakulong?

Sa mga abogado, bakit ayaw niyo mag public attorney?

Ano ang tingin niyo na dapat baguhin sa ating mga bilangguan?

Share comments and anecdotes on our jail system. What you think the public should know about jails in the Philippines.

photo taken at the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center
Lahug, Cebu
April 2007

May 20 Topic: Plagia-Rock! Let's take a peek at music plagiarism, parodies, and piracy.

mu·sic (myū'zĭk) n. The art of arranging sounds in time so as to produce a continuous, unified, and evocative composition, as through melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre. Vocal or instrumental sounds possessing a degree of melody, harmony, or rhythm.

-------------------------------------------------------

Plagia-Rock! Let's learn a bit more about copyright laws and intellectual property rights management. Parodies, plagiarism, and lifting from other songs. Music as property. Whew* okey 'to.

Edwin Sallan is one of the essayists of "Tikman ang Langit," the book on the Eraserheads. A former Jingle magazine writer, he says that there really should be no stress on parodies or covering music for as long as one acknowledges the source or the creator of the piece or the melody. After all plagiarism is really more about the 'claiming an idea, line, melodic form' as ones own creation. Ah hah. Taking the credit for what is not really yours is the big deal here.

Pinikpikan's frontwoman, Carol Bello expresses her take on originality. She is delighted when people sometimes sound like them because she is an advocate of promoting indigenous music and rhythms. However, she insists that ideas are abound and infinite. One just has to go out of comfort zones and explore the world more to get richer ideas. She also stresses that we are so lucky that we live in South East Asia where rhythm and music are so closely interwoven with our culture. We should dig in deeper into our indigenous bin of inspiration instead of always looking to the West for music pegs. Tama! She beams local genius and we all agree with her completely. (shown is Lourd de Veyra saying "Oy lagot kayong mga nagpapahamak kay Carol." hehe loko lang, pointer finger up usually means "...point well taken." or "I think I know what you're talking about." he he he)


The pretty Ms. Debbie Gaite of Filscap explains the hows and whys of music copyrighting. She also stresses that Filscap is really about protecting the artist, they safeguard the artist from abusive users of their creations. Plagiarism included! Filscap is a non-stock non-profit group of composers, authors and publishers. They represent the rights of both foreign and local composers, lyric writers and publishers. She thinks we are not out of ideas, the world is large and looming. Explore. Work! Think! Research!

Mike Wage is an OPM fan. He is the project director of Globe's Kantabataan contest. He brought up an interesting point when he asked, who gets paid when a song quotes from the Bible? (sabi ko si God) He also raised the fact that perhaps because it helps in the evangelization, open source ang Bible of ideas. Hmmm. Mike is very encouraging to students. He urges them to keep seeking out their minds and experiences to create music. He also thinks that maybe unoriginality is a symptom of laziness. So work on your music! Search, discover, explore, create. Join their contest. etc etc. (and while Mike waxes profound, all Gang is thinking is, "GLOBE gimme free load on a regular basis, please.")

Sir Francis Brew of the Dawn and NU107 joins in the conversation. He says musicians are trapped sometimes between creating what is in the 'wave' of commercial success and what is truly what they want to say. As a career, sometimes artists adjust to what will be commercially viable. Aaah, the age-old war between commercial and critical success ensues. But he says, musicians don't run out of ideas, record companies do. Hah. Miggy Chavez lead singer of Chicosci and Toti Dalmacion of Terno Recordings both join us on a phone patch. Miggy says we should stop finger pointing on who sounds like who in the biz, just enjoy the music or if you don't, then shut up. (my words, not his. Summary yan) Toti on the other hand explains that originality is important though he understands that in this day and age it is a challenge not to sound like a shade of someone else, he values quality of music. Commercial and critical acclaim should not be mutually exclusive, kaya naman daw pareho.

Edwin, Lourd and Debbie continue the conversation outside. Everyone agreeing to come back for a continuation of this episode. We haven't even discussed the intricacies of downloading, uploading music, shareware, piracy, lyrics lifted, etc etc. There's a world out there of things we need to know about this thing we all adore called mee-yoo-zik.


PS: Rico Blanco of Rivermaya called in and said that OPM is doing really well. Don't ride the bandwagon of pulling everyone down just because. We cannot start from a standpoint of 'gaya gaya talaga ang Pinoy' dahil hindi lahat gano'n! Dapat i-appreciate natin ang nagaganap sa music scene and carry on.

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May 14 2007 Elections

MALINIS PLEASE

Para sa mga nanalo at natalo nitong halalan. Sana yung mga binayaran ninyong mag akyat ng posters ninyo ay bayaran ninyo ulit para tanggalin o kaya pulutin ang mga posters ng mga mukha ninyo mula sa mga kanal kanal.

Salamat po.

A friendly reminder from Rock Ed Radio.

May 13 Topic -- BUKAS NA! MAY BUKAS PA BA? (election eve episode)

LUTRINA 2007

Sa unahan ay nakapedestal ang Patrong pamintuho sa deboto

kasunod ay ang koro ng awit-nobena sa deboto.

Sa likura'y prusisyon ng panatikong rekruter ng deboto.

Tangan ang imahe ng Patron.

Tangan ang mga papelitong-kandilang milyon,

laman ang usal-dasal-pangako ng milagro.

Ay, Bulaklak ng Mayo!

Sa kanilang Lutrina ay igawad --

nang maghimala ang Patron

at ang mga deboto

sa madalang na patak ng iyong boto.

-Axel Pinpin*

Last of the pre-election series ng Rock Ed Radio ang episode sa May 13. We will have the guests of the first part (Noel Cabangon, Chris Belardo, and Pepe Diokno) come back as a re-cap of our conversation regarding your sentiments on Monday's elections. Makikisali din sa usapan ang mga taga Giniling Festival. Yahuu.

Halalan na sa Lunes. Kung may mga tanong kayo ukol dito, maski sa precinct locations, opportunities to volunteer, tungkol sa mga kandidato, tungkol sa mga partylist, maari kayong tumawag mula sa PLDT phone ng libre sa 101-49. "Gabay Halalan" Ito ay proyekto ng Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan ng Ateneo de Manila.

Kung may mga nais pa kayong sabihin, mag post dito ng tanong o comment para sa script ng Rock Ed Radio, May 13.

Pag-usapan ang dapat pag-usapan. Itanong ang dapat tanungin. Sabihin ang dapat sabihin.

Game.




*Axel Pinpin was abducted by elements of the Philippine National Police with four other peasant organizers on April 28, 2006, in Tagaytay City, Cavite. Collectively known as the Tagaytay 5, they were all hidden by their abductors for three days after the arrest. The five were accused of plotting to destabilize the national government. They suffered physical and mental torture while under detention. Pinpin is a consultant and research and information officer of the peasant organization Kalipunan ng mga Magsasaka sa Kabite (Kamagsasaka-Ka). He served as a science research specialist in the Department of Science and Technology from 1996 to 2000. Pinpin was a Fellow in 1999 for Poetry in Filipino at the University of the Philippines Institute for Creative Writing and has published a poetry collection, Tugmaang Walang Tugma.

-*text source http://avhrc-kultura.blogspot.com

Not So Free Concert

To join the gathering at Amoranto:

1. download this jpg.
2. print it out
3. sign the form
4. present at the gate WITH a valid photo ID
5. we encourage everyone to come in a white t-shirt.
6. come early enough bec security will follow venue regulations for capacity
7. rock peacefully while demanding clean elections from the government.

8. umuwi ng buo, pagod ngunit masaya
9. matulog
10. managinip
11. mag-isip ano ang gusto mong i-alay sa bayan.

12. kumain
13. umu-u
14. matulog

15. bumili ng maraming Globe load kasi tunulungan nila tayo. Lumipat na kayo sa Globe.
16. bumili na rin ng maraming Red Horse kasi wow, tumulong din sila. Grabe. For 18 years old and older. Drink moderately. Uminom ng tama.

May 6 - Rock Ed Radio's Advanced Mother's Day Special

I guess nothing unifies a motley group more than the subject of Mothers. We all have our share of stories of inspiration, influence, chaos and order when it comes to our Moms.

Yza Palmero, Shu Uemura make up artist is a single mother and she says that there is really much to be appreciated about the task. She shares that growing up with her Mother can be difficult at times but on the whole it has taught her to be a good mom and her children are most important in her life. Lahat naman may horror story tungkol sa mga nanay, meron ding komplikado na relationships talaga, so tonight we just wanted to focus on the positive and the little expressed appreciation for Moms.
Aia de Leon, the lead singer of Imago took this chance to honor her Mom. She says that her Mom has been an anchor in her life. She wishes she can get at least part of her Mom's charm. Aia says her Mom isn't a stage mom, like any normal parent she was warned about the difficulties of life in music but still -she supported Aia's career choice and is duly credited for it tonight. Si Aia mahal na mahal ang mommy niya. Siguro nung grade school siya lagi syang nagdo-drawing para sa Mommy nya.
Reg Rubio is the lead voice of Greyhoundz. Despite the metal appearances of this man, we all noticed the gentle tone he takes when he talks about his mother. His Mom is overseas and we all wish she could hear him speak of her and her impact on his life. Jaime Garchitorena is an entrepreneur and former recording artist. He says that his Mom allowed him to go on his own search. He jokingly says that he was raised by his Mom's "well-intentioned" neglect. Because in the end, it has given him the opportunity to become what he is now. He is glad his Mom allowed him to journey on his own.
Marc Abaya's Mother is critically and commercially acclaimed director Marilou Diaz-Abaya. He refers to him as "the goddess Marilou." Going through a difficult time right now health-wise, his Mom, in the words of Marc, taught him the love of performance, the sense of the stage, and the challenging humility that ought to come with talent. Marc, despite coming in late during the show (he came from another guesting) certainly added another rich layer to the already-interesting conversation.
Gang expresses admiration for her mom for displaying a tremendous balance in her life academically, professionally and socially --despite having to raise ten children. Gang says her Mom's biggest accmplishment? "...wala pa namang nape-preso sa 'min." Haha. Lourd shared that he appreciates his Mom's silences even when she used to see him make 'mistakes' growing up, mahirap din siguro yung hayaan mo ang anak mong matuto on his own. Kaya nga, sabi ni Lourd, kayong mga nakinig (o nagbabasa nito) maghanap kayo ng oras yapusin ang mga nanay ninyo at magpasalamat. The group continues to talk outside even past the hour. We were all hoping that this episode encourages you to take time out this week to be extra-obedient to your Moms. Maski mahirap! They deserve it.

Rock Ed Radio would like to take this opportunity to wish Marc's Mommy a speedy and comfortable recovery --back to the pink of health! Here's Marc walking out of the station alone. We're almost certain he is thinking of his Mom.

Good vibes rang around the booth earlier tonight. We hope we get to spread this vibe to all of you and all your Mothers. Minsan lang ang buhay, iisa lang ang ating mga nanay.

Peacetime.

So, matanong namin kayo --- "Have you hugged your Mom today?"

May 6 topic: Inaykupo. An Advanced Mother's Day Special

One week before the scheduled International Mom's Day, we are holding this special show. So. Rock Ed Radio wants to remind you that you have a week to prepare something grand for your Mom. And you have one week to be extra-obedient to your Mommys. Generally, there is wisdom in that.


Imago's vocalist Aia de Leon, Greyhoundz lead man Reg Rubio together with entrepreneur Jaime Garchitorena will discuss their socio-cultural take on growing up with their Mothers. Shu Uemura's Yza Palmero will also discuss growing up with a mother who discovered she was lesbian later on in life. Share your insights on the Filipino style of Motherhood. Ask questions, send us one-liners on the best thing you learned from your Mom. Post them here so we can prepare them ahead of time. (This just in: Marc Abaya of Kjwan will join us tonight in mid-show.)

Parangal sa mga nanay natin. Yehey!




About the photo: that's Gang's Mom taking a contemplative walk in the farm in Mindanao. Pregnant with her second child. (c.1958) She had eight more children thereafter. Despite having ten children, she still went on to finish her PhD in English. Mabuhay ang mga nanay!

Important note: Rock Ed Radio extends its condolences to photographer Brutal Grace whose Mother passed away a few days ago in Milan. Our warmest thoughts to you, Grace.