Heber Bartolome Rocks Winnipeg!
Levy Abad
Filipino Journal September 20-October 5,2017, Vol.31 NO 18, P28

Courtesy of HB Digiphoto

Sunday night (September 10th) proved to be a great evening at the Canton Buffet Food Gallery where the legendary Filipino troubadour singer-songwriter, painter and De La Salle Professor of Filipino Literature Heber Bartolome performed his socially relevant songs to an attentive crowd of more or less three hundred. It was indeed a smooth and profound presentation of social issues through songs. There were also a lot of folks who gave generous tips for Heber to sing his hit songs. Heber performed with his son Kris Bartolome who was a former high school arts teacher at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

As early as late sixties and up to now, Heber Bartolome, as a folk singer, consistently sings socially critical songs that ordinary folks and conscious listeners can connect. His songs like "Tayo’y mga Pinoy" (We are Pinoys) remains relevant as it calls for independence from empire.  Another song is “Nena” which reflects on the impact of impoverishment and how it compels people to embrace miserable choices such as prostitution among other things. Other songs like “Karaniwang Tao” (Ordinary People) depicts the struggles of the ordinary working man against a rotten and moribund system, “Lerry” tells about the radical options that people embrace in times of oppression and the persecution that comes with it. “Tagulaylay” (Lamentation) centers on the poor peasants’ lament about the yoke of feudalism. These, including the song “Almusal” (Breakfast) are songs people both in the homeland and in the diaspora can relate to. Heber’s songs transcend time as it never focuses on personality cult but on real or concrete issues of the day as well as on progressive ideology.

Courtesy of HB Digiphoto

During the dark days of the dictatorship in the ‘70s, Heber Bartolome and Banyuhay articulated songs about the people's experiences, while some other artists served as purveyors of foreign decadent culture. Heber, for his part, raised questions that subverted people’s consciousness. The album 'Kalamansi sa Sugat" (Lemon on a Wound) contains radical pieces that roused and moved people to yearn and march for freedom leading to the fall of the Marcos dictatorship in the 1986 people's uprising.

This is why FAJ Productions’ invitation to Heber to perform in Winnipeg is of great significance. Heber’s songs are like seeds of compassion and a call to people not to forget the motherland. In the midst of  the experience  of affluence in the North and also the blinding effect of the neon lights that can make one abandon the suffering of our people, Heber’s songs conscientisize and call for a radical critique and transformation.

Thanks to Jhayzon Parades, Mar Mance, Zaldy Ordonez of C&K Music for initiating this great event that gave tribute to the lives of martyrs for social change in the motherland.  They keep the beacon light of struggle in the field of culture ever burning when only embers of patriotism is left due to bourgeoisification in the first world diaspora.

Aside from yours truly, Humus Band also did the front act. Several artists sessioned with Heber: Mar Mance (back-up vocals), Jhayzon Paredes (bass), Kris Bartolome (lead guitar), Zaldy Ordoñez (lead guitar), Andy Atanacio (drums) and Rod Dizon (drums/ kahon). Members of the 204Live Music jammed with Heber, among them were: Paul Menor (guitar), Alex Canlapan, Henry Balanial and Trixer Bautista.

Courtesy of HB Digiphoto

The event was also an opportunity for some activist friends to come together:  Susan Rodriguez of Migrante-Manitoba, Johsa Manzanilla of Aksyon ng Ating Kabataan (Anak), Robin Allan Banaag (songwriter), Daniel Tabooy  and Juliet Flores the chairperson of Association of Cordillerans of Manitoba (ACM), Arnold Tongol (SMD of WFG- Winnipeg), Adelle Lumanta,  Kuya Felino De Jesus of the Knights of Rizal, Ernesto Ofiaza of MAFTI and Ingemar Moncada. Also worthy to mention is the fraternity of Heber, The “Kapatirang Plebeians” of the University of the Philippines represented by Zaldy Laririt, Antonio and Fleda Blanco, Demy Santos and Doy Valenciano. .

The event would not have been possible without the support of the following sponsors: JJ Cabinet, C&K Music, Canton Food Gallery, Mance Financial Services, Vangie's Hair Effects, HB Digiphoto, Funshots Winnipeg, Ardie Gervacio, Frank Rano and many more

I am proud to say that I have performed with Banyuhay ni  Heber Bartolome and brothers Jes  and Levi Bartolome as a front-act in one of his concerts in Mississauga and Scarborough, Ontario back in 2010. It was a full venue and folks really loved listening to original and socially reflective music, with lines like "Gising ka man kung 'di ka kikilos parang patay ka rin" (Even if you are awake but you never struggle for change, you are dead) from the song "Inutil na Gising" (Awake but Inutile). Heber Bartolome’s songs are products of his experience of poverty. His compassion for the oppressed continues to challenge our consciousness. As a  revolutionary songwriter, we write songs that give hope to others, but in times of our weakness,  these same songs come back to haunt us  to never give up serving the people in whatever field we are in. Thanks a lot Kuya Heber for your contribution to our motherland's culture. May the God of Peace and Change bless you in your journey while spreading the message of compassion and solidarity.