August 21, 00: Ninoy Aquino's death anniversary.

THE ISSUE OF RESPECT




It is 4:13 am, and I am awake.
What keeps me up is rage.

I attended the Channel [V] Philippines industry launch this evening (well, last night, if you must be technical)-- which was really nothing more than a glorified party that the music channel put up for their present (and potential) advertisers and business contacts, including the good ol' press. Free food, free drinks, free entertainment from some of the top musical acts in town. Nothing particularly wrong there, right?

Except maybe for one episode which led me on this train of thought and on this insomniac ramble.

At about 8:20 pm, when the actual concert formally started, one of their new VJs, a skinny model-waif type by the name of Amanda (hardly any personality in either face or manner) coralled an audience member to go up onstage, where another VJ, Asha stood, and lead the singing of the National Anthem. He did go up. The song started with barely any warning, Asha and some of the Channel [V] people were in discussion near the stage side about what would come next, and the poor guy was on the mic, and ashamed that he was singing ... or maybe, ashamed that he forgot the lyrics to "Lupang Hinirang." The rest of the crowd were not told to stand or pay some form of respect to the song, and the most obvious transgressors were unfortunately, the [V] crew and staff.

Horrendous.

And to think I LIKE the damn channel. At least more than the OTHER one.

That the volunteer forgot the lyrics was more forgivable. That the [V] crew did not stop what they were doing in order to honor flag and country was totally not. Especially since the channel is (supposedly) espousing pride in being Filipino.

I did not know whether to put my hand on my chest or hang my head in shame.

It just occured to me that if I'd been the one asked to sing the anthem, I probably would've sung it thru and then berated the [V] staff by saying: "Can I just say something here? For a channel supposedly fighting to get the Filipino heard, you've just exhibited some very disrespectful behavior. Stand when the national anthem of any country is played. Honor the flag. Even if it is not your own."

The rest of the night was performance after performance of lackluster, dis-ingenius acts who seemed to lack any respect for their talents-- performing on a sound system that created a big, muddy echo rather than spewed music. There was Parokya ni Edgar who were funny back in '94 when they were starting out. And now, having used up most of their shtick, still haven't improved their playing. Not a bit. Then there was The Dawn, clinging to their teenage years by playing their old hits all in the same, immature manner they used to back when I was in high school. There was Francis M, now a VJ for [V], who did 2 numbers from his new album... 2 numbers which have totally destroyed any respect I had for the guy from the way he used to push the envelope back in '93. There was South Border, incredible musicians all, coughing up soul and R&B that pushes no envelope except maybe their own pay envelopes.

I got out of there quick.

Musicians who have no respect for their own talents.

Filipinos who have no respect for their flag.

No fucking wonder neither our pop music industry nor our nation in general is going anywhere.

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