GORGY RULA
Sa darating na Linggo, March 22, 2026, na ang huling performance ng Bagets: The Musical na ginaganap sa Newport Performing Arts Theater, Newport World Resorts, Pasay City.
Nagtatanung-tanong kami kung maganda ba ang kinalabasan ng naturang musical play, dahil tiyak na apektado rin ito sa krisis na kinakaharap natin ngayon.
Nakapanlulumo ang nakikita mong presyo ng gasolina sa gas stations. Parang mas pipiliin mo na lang tumigil sa bahay.
May naririnig kaming baka abutin pa raw ito ng siyam na buwan kaya mas mabuting magtipid na lang at umiwas sa ibang gastusin.
Kaya pinag-uusapan na rin kung maaapektuhan din ang live performances kagaya ng concerts at stage plays.
Nakausap namin si Cel de Guia ng Ovation Productions sa birthday party ni Bernard Cloma noong Marso 19, Huwebes.
Sinabi niyang tiyak na apektado ang pagkuha nila ng foreign artists na magko-concert sa Pilipinas dahil ang laki ng itinaas ng dolyar.
Ano kaya ang magiging kapalaran ng mga nakatakdang concerts?
Read: TV Ratings: The Alibi ng KimPau, kumasa ba sa mga Sang'gre?
THE OPM FRIENDS ON CURRENT CRISIS
Nakapanayam namin sa DZRH si Ding Mercado ng dating The New Minstrels at si Leah Navarro.
Nag-promote sila ng concert nilang The OPM Friends: Groovin' The Greatest Hits.
Bukod kina Ding at Leah, kasama rin sa The OPM Friends sina Celeste Legaspi, Mitch Valdes, Nanette Inventor, Pat Castillo, Pinky Marquez, at Bo Cerrudo.
Nakatakdang ganapin ang concert sa March 27 sa Newport Performing Arts Theater.
Tinanong namin sina Leah at Ding kung nangangamba ba silang baka maapektuhan ang kanilang nalalapit na concert ng krisis na hinaharap natin ngayon.
Naiisip din daw nila ito, pero matagal na raw naka-schedule itong kanilang concert at may mga nakabili na ng tickets.
Sabi ni Ding: “This was even planned prior to the crisis now.
"Viva Concerts gave us the date. When they gave the date, wala pa ang problemang ito.
“I think we’re still hoping na yung mga taong may konting budget pa, e… at the same time, it will be an escape from the actual crisis now.
“I think mag-e-enjoy din sila, and of course it’s very rare that they have that opportunity to watch this combination of singers during a show like this.
"Hindi palaging nangyayari yun.”
Naniniwala silang kailangan pa rin ng entertainment sa gitna ng pinagdaanan natin ngayon.
Read: Celeste, Mitch, Nanette puring-puri ang mga artista ngayon
JERRY OLEA
Ayon kay Leah Navarro, naiintindihan niya itong hinaharap nating krisis.
Sa panahon ngayon, dapat daw unahin ang mas kailangan sa pang-araw-araw na buhay.
“We understand,” pakli ni Leah. “All of us… we are all affected.
"Kahit kami yung kakanta… you know, we have to go to rehearsals. Nagga-Grab kami, nagkokotse kami.
“We understand that, yung concern na yan.
“Kaya, I think though if… I hope mare-realize din nila, if we get out of ourselves, you know, try and help alleviate the problems of others, that we will also be solving our own problems.
“And that’s what we’re hoping, no? We are speaking to the goodness of the hearts of our audience, that they can spend a couple of hours with us to relive memories, better times, and then be refueled, no?
“It’s like to use a funny word — to be refueled by the energy that we hope, that we can share with them, and in that way also helping each other.”
Panalangin ni Leah na sana, hindi magtagal at malagpasan natin ang krisis na ito.
Saad niya: “Hindi naman ito nangyayari din, no, yung mga show na ganito.
"And we always have to hope and pray na ang mga krisis na ganito rin ay short-term lang siya, di ba? Hindi siya forever and ever.
“Many people naman sa pagkaalam ko, nakabili na sila ng tickets. So, we hope that they will make sure to be there with us that night.”
Read: BLIND ITEM: Hunk actor, effective ang style na pakape-kape sa mga babae
NOEL FERRER
Itong concert na Groovin' The Greatest Hits ay binuo ng OPM Friends para makatulong sa ilang kasabayan nilang may sakit na hindi kayang tustusan ang kanilang medical needs.
Ani Ding Mercado: “In 2024, si Celeste [Legaspi] saka si Nanette [Inventor], sabi nila, parang kailangan natin mag-fundraising para sa ating mga ka-contemporary na… lalo na nung pandemic, walang means of making a living that time.
“Yung mga ibang ka-contemporary namin, walang means to really make money for their maintenance.
“This is our age na kailangan ng mga maintenance, medicines, and all that. That started the OPM Friends.
“Sabi nina Celeste, Nanette, 'Bakit hindi tayo mag-caroling?'”
FUNDRAISING FOR COLLEAGUES IN THE INDUSTRY
Ang una nga raw nilang tinulungan ay ang namayapang direktor na si Fritz Ynfante.
“Nag-caroling kami, and that was the time… remember the late Fritz Ynfante? He really need that help.
"Because all of us had that opportunity to work with Fritz Ynfante.
“Sabi namin, kailangan namin mag-fundraising para dun sa mga contemporaries namin, either in the business or even sa production side, makatulong kami kahit papano sa kanila sa kanilang medical needs,” dagdag ni Ding.
Kaya itong nalalapit nilang concert ay para raw sa ilang beneficiaries na kinakapos sa pagpapagamot.
“We try to keep our beneficiaries private, no? Kasi we respect yung privacy nila kung ayaw nilang sabihin,” pakli ni Leah Navarro.
“We felt kasi, di ba, yung pag artista, kung may gig ka, okay ka, may pera. Ang tawag dun, feast or famine, di ba?
“We thought na kahit kami… it’s not because na kami, may kaya kami or…. but what we wanted to do was friends coming together as friends, for our friends in the business, in the profession.
“So, kung nasa production side ka, or actor ka, singer ka… kung nangangailangan ka, they would reach out to us.
"So, eto nga ginagawa namin, fundraiser talaga to for our friends in the business,” sabi pa ni Leah.
Read: Iñigo Jose wants to settle issue with dad James Blanco in private