Nine years of Ben&Ben came together on one stage on Friday, October 2, as the folk-pop band brought Saranggola: The Concert to the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With thousands of Liwanag gathered inside the Big Dome, the nine-piece lineup revisited songs from across its discography while looking back on the friendships, milestones, and experiences that shaped the band.
The concert also carried a bittersweet significance.
It marked the final performance of drummer Jam Villanueva as part of Ben&Ben’s nine-member lineup.
From the opening notes of “Ride Home” to the final performance of “Saranggola,” the night became a celebration of everything Ben&Ben had built together.
Here are nine reasons Saranggola felt like a fitting celebration of the band’s nine-year journey.
1. The concert took fans through Ben&Ben’s musical journey
Ben&Ben made the most of its three-album discography by giving each record its own moment during the concert.
The “Traveller Across Dimensions” set featured “Autumn,” “Shutter,” “Comets,” “Could Be Something,” “Tomorrow with You,” “Triumph,” “Lifetime,” and “Doors.”
The band then moved into the “Pebble House” set with “Swimming Pool,” “Kasayaw,” “Upuan,” “Lunod,” “Kapangyarihan,” “Sugat,” and “Elyu.”
For the “Limasawa Street” set, fans heard “Limasawa Street,” “Hummingbird,” “Lucena,” “Pagtingin,” “Roots,” and “War.”
The setlist gave longtime listeners a chance to revisit different chapters of Ben&Ben’s music in one evening.
2. Familiar songs were given fresh life
The concert also brought reimagined versions of some of Ben&Ben’s well-loved songs.
“Lifetime,” “Autumn,” and “Leaves” received fresh arrangements during the show.
Their presence alongside newer material allowed the concert to connect the band’s earlier work with its more recent chapter.
Songs that have accompanied fans through different moments of their lives therefore found a new setting inside the Big Dome.
3. The audience helped shape part of the setlist
One of the evening’s surprises came when Ben&Ben opened the floor to song requests from the audience.
The band selected three songs from the suggestions: “Bibingka,” “Dahilan,” and “Courage.”
“Bibingka,” in particular, added a seasonal touch to the concert, while the other requests gave fans an opportunity to hear songs they had personally hoped would make it into the show.
4. The concert celebrated friendship as much as music
Throughout Saranggola, Ben&Ben looked back on its nine years together.
The members shared stories about their experiences as a band and reflected on the moments that shaped their relationship with one another.
That history became especially meaningful because the group has grown beyond its work as musicians.
Their journey has also been shaped by the friendship they built along the way.
5. The nine-member lineup had one final night together
The significance of the concert became even clearer when the members introduced themselves one by one as a nine-piece band for the last time.
The moment came before “Araw-Araw,” turning a familiar part of the band’s shows into something much more meaningful.
For fans who had followed Ben&Ben throughout its nine-piece era, seeing Paolo and Miguel Benjamin Guico, Poch Barretto, Jam Villanueva, Agnes Reoma, Patricia Lasaten, Toni Muñoz, Andrew de Pano, and Keifer Cabugao together onstage carried a special weight.
6. Jam’s farewell gave the night its most emotional moment
Jam’s final performance with Ben&Ben became the heart of the evening.
Addressing her bandmates and the Liwanag, she looked back on the nine years they had spent making music together.
“Nine years ago, we were just kids, screaming, playing stages, and playing music as a career. And here we are now,” Jam said.
She also thanked the fans who had supported the band since its early days.
“I feel so grateful for everyone. For every single Liwanag who’s been listening to our music since day one. For our management who’s believed in our music and what this is ever since,” she said.
Jam also credited her bandmates for helping her grow as a person.
“They’ve taught me a lot. Taught me about love, about friendship, and the importance of everything. Doing everything together through hardship and through everything joyful. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko kung wala kayong lahat,” she said.
7. Her message about time stayed with the audience
Among Jam’s reflections was a reminder that felt especially fitting for a concert marking nine years.
“Time is the one thing that gives everything meaning. Cherish every moment, every second, and every little fleeting time that passes because every second will never, ever be back,” she told the crowd.
The message captured the feeling surrounding Saranggola.
The concert brought together memories from years that had already passed while giving the band and its fans one more night to experience the nine-piece lineup together.
8. The final songs carried extra meaning
The concert continued with “Harinawa,” “Kathang Isip,” and “Leaves” before moving toward its final stretch.
“Maybe the Night” followed, setting the stage for the closing song.
For Saranggola, Jam returned to the drums for one final performance with her bandmates.
The song therefore became part of a farewell that was deeply connected to the band's history.
9. The final bow marked an ending while celebrating what came before
After "Saranggola," the nine members took their final bow together.
The moment marked the end of Ben&Ben’s nine-piece era, yet the evening remained centered on gratitude for the journey that brought them there.
Saranggola: The Concert showed how nine years of music could be revisited through the songs that defined different chapters of the band’s career.
It gave the Liwanag one more night with the complete lineup.
More importantly, it gave Ben&Ben a chance to celebrate the people and experiences that made those nine years possible.
The band will bring Saranggola: The Concert to SM Seaside Cebu Arena on April 10, 2027.
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