From Ogie Alcasid to Lea Salonga, Ely Buendia and Gary Valenciano, the country's biggest names in music have banded together in an epic five-minute song dubbed "Bayaning Tunay."
The song is meant to say thanks and pay tribute to the thousands of health care professionals or frontliners who have played a pivotal role in the country's fight against COVID. It is now available on Spotify and other streaming platforms worldwide.
Alcasid, who is the president of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit collaborated with Kilusang Kontra Covid (KilKoVid) to make the song a multi-sectoral initiative. KilKoVid has Dr. Tony Leachon as its Chairman and lawyer Dot Gancayco of the Celebrity Club as its President.
Alcasid admitted that he has a soft spot for frontliners because a male nurse named William Gonzaga selflessly took care of his father before the latter passed away in 2020 due to COVID.
"I was touched by what William did. He was our angel, and he took care of my father up to his cremation. This inspired me to write Bayaning Tunay. I hope this song reminds us of the time when we went through a difficult period and who was there in the front of the battle lines. This is our way of saying thank you, we love you, and we honor you, our dear medical frontliners," Ogie noted.
He added that getting together all the top artists for the pro bono project was a difficult feat to achieve. "We had to get waivers and the permission of the networks. It took three months for the project to come into fruition."
This initiative was relayed to Dr. Tony Leachon who is the chairman of Kilusang Kontra Covid (KilKoVid), a civil society group formed in Quezon City to help the QC government with its COVID-19 pandemic efforts. KilKovid then connected with the health care workers sector through Dr. Maricar Limpin of the Philippine College of Physicians to apprise them of this forthcoming support.
With the artists' determination to help and the expert musical arrangement of Homer Flores, the project became a reality. Lending their golden voices to Bayaning Tunay are the following music makers: Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Martin Nievera, Pops Fernandez, Lani Misalucha, Lea Salonga, Noel Cabangon, Piolo Pascual, Bamboo, Ely Buendia, Rico Blanco, Erik Santos, Christian Bautista, Jed Madela, Nyoy Volante, Angeline Quinto, KZ Tandingan, Morisette, Klarisse, Janine Berdin, Jason Dy, Sam Concepcion, and Lara Maigue.
“The cases of COVID-19 are going down. Praise the Lord! Let us not forget the unsung heroes who helped us during the most difficult moments in our hospitals during the pandemic—the frontliners,” shared Ogie, who composed the song as a year-end gift for them.
Released by Star Music, “Bayaning Tunay” is arranged by Homer Flores, mastered by Tim Recla, and overall produced by ABS-CBN Music creative director Jonathan Manalo, with Ogie and Gary V as production consultants.
The song was formally launched on “ASAP Natin ‘To” last Sunday and is now available on music streaming services worldwide.