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AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands?Filipinos in Europe raised a total of ?4,690.73 (about P313,000) during a benefit concert for the victims of the series of four typhoons that visited the Philippines from September 26 to November 1.
?But amidst the swirling flood waters that threatened to drown and obliterate everything in its path, heroes and heroines surfaced to bear witness to the unsinkable Filipino spirit of determined resilience to weather any storm,? said Maitet Ledesma, chairperson of Pinay Sa Holland-Gabriela
Organized by Pinay sa Holland and in cooperation with Barangay sa Holland, Center for Philippine Concerns, Kabalikat, Migrante Sectoral Party-Netherlands Chapter, and the Netherlands-Philippine Solidarity Movement for the typhoon victims in the Philippines, the benefit concert, entitled Bangon Pinoy! Rise Above the Storm, was held last November 22 at the hall of the Nassaukerk in Amsterdam.
The concert raised a net income of ?4,690.73 (?2,841.32 from ticket sales and ?1,849.41 in donations). Among the biggest donors were Sunro Change BV Amsterdam, which gave ?500 for one of the beneficiaries (Philippine National Red Cross), and Mr. Drs. P. Lukkien, who also gave ?500.
?The star-studded line-up of performers included outstanding Filipino artists and their fellow Dutch artist friends who came together to put on a breath-taking show and shared their amazing talents absolutely gratis!? said Ledesma.
Among them were Filipino cast members of Dutch musicals such as Miss Saigon, Lion King, and Tarzan (Arvin Quirante, Nu Driz, Isabel Gregoria, Jamaica Salcedo, and Pompeii Perez).
?Filipino vocal artists Joyce San Mateo and MaryAnn Morales who have performed with various Dutch bands and regaled audiences with their vocal versatility in the Netherlands joined the performers and gave the show added glitter and panache,? Ledesma said.
The Filipino artists were joined Dutch bands like GetHouse BluesBand, the Amsterdam choir Glow (God?s Love Over the World), Fusion Juice, and the dancers of JamSta.
?All of them joined in this musical show of solidarity for the Filipino people in their moment of greatest need. In behalf of the organizers and cooperating organizations, we would like to thank all of those who contributed to the concert?s success,? Ledesma said.
She thanked the artists, those who helped organize the concert (Eddie Flores and Orquidia Valenzuela-Flores of Munting Nayon, Sunro Change BV Amsterdam, Jitty?s Hair and Make-up, Dolly?s Filipino Store, and the El Shaddai Community in Amsterdam), its patrons (Anurag and Wim, Jan Beentjes, Bas Bijpost of www.mygigs.org, Ruth Castillo, D. Marks, Luis Jalandoni and Coni Ledesma, N. Leeman, Dr. Peter and Linda Kars-Villanueva, Stefan Koch, J. de Lima, Koos Lukkien, Dirk and Effie Marks, Prof. Jose Ma. Sison, Sappho Payne, Ruth Ann Spangenthal, and D C M Verkleij), as well as those ?who sold tickets, cooked Filipino kakanin and arroz caldo?(served as) gracious usherettes, those who stayed after the concert to clean the hall and put everything back in its place.?
?Your commitment and love for our community, our country and our people is truly exemplary! Mabuhay kayo!? Ledesma said.
Excerpted from Munting Nayon News Magazine.
