A garment worker girl band which grew from Womyns’ Agenda for Change (WAC)’s long engagement in the self determination building among Cambodian garment workers. WAC’s approach has been to expose and conscientious women workers in order for them to fully participate and determine their paths as a collective to bring positive change to workers as a social group and more broadly to challenge on gender stereo type, discrimination and violence in society. Apart from traditional forms of communication and learning, workers have seen through their exposure elsewhere the power of song.
Author: Rosemae Pranciliso
Federico “Boy” Dominguez
is a Filipino social realist painter, actor, activist and musician. He is an active member of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines. Boy D as he is fondly called by friends play harmonica for The General Strike. Boy designed the aMP3.logo.
Ego Lemos’ Alfabetu Song
Ego Lemos brings the alphabet to the children of Timor-Leste with his music. Produced for the Ministry of Education.
Afternoon jam with the Darwin Rondalla
Cited as one of Darwin’s most iconic groups the Darwin Rondalla in action at the DCA studio in Malak, Darwin. With Bong Ramilo, Felino Molina, Melody Yuin Foh, Miguel Molina, and Brenda Jeanne Cubillo. Photos by Joseph Purugganan/APM. 26 October 2014.
Pete Seeger (1919-2014)
“Its true to a certain extent, one of the purpose of music is to help you survive your troubles, help distract you from your troubles, but some music helps you understand your troubles, and some music can help you do something about your troubles.”
Pete Seeger
Rock vs the Round: Musicians against the WTO
Musicians against the WTO (MAW) represents the coming together of various artists in a project aimed at popularizing issues and generating public interest on the WTO and globalization issues in the Philippines.
Conceptualized in early September 2005, MAW became part of the trade campaign in the Philippines spearheaded by the Stop the New Round Coalition, Focus on the Global South, Kilusang Mangingisda, Tambuyog Development Center, NGOs for Fisheries Reform, Philnet-RDI, and Jubilee South.
MAW produced Rock against the Round CD– a compilation of songs reflecting various perspectives on globalization, from the personal to the political. The CD features 12 songs from a diverse mix of artists representing different music
al genres from folk to punk. The songs touch on themes of poverty and inequality, hunger and food insecurity, commodification of lives and natural resources, global hegemony and domination.
The songs on the Album
Espasyo – The Village Idiots
Welcome to the Free World – Noel Cabangon
(Hangga’t maari) Ayaw Naming Pumatay – Einstein Chakras
Million Dollar Man – Agaw Agimat
Food Trip- Radio Active Sago Project
Who’s Next- Bridge
Free Market Bull – Strap on 7 inch
Vampire Sam (the global order) – Beauty of Doubt
(ikaw) ay Karne – Datu’s Tribe
Pa-experience – Pedicab
Changes (justice not politics) – Pink Cow
Republika de lata – the Wuds
In 2008, MAW staged a mini-concert in Cubao X, in Quezon City, Philippines which featured performances from Noel Cabangon, Jess Santiago, Pedicab, Peryodiko, Radioactive Sago Project, Village Idiots and Sandwich as part of the continuing campaign against WTO and the Doha Round.
“What is happening in the WTO, the domination by the rich over the poor, the powerful over the powerless is colonialism revisited. Only now it goes by the name globalization. Artists today like those that resisted colonialism in the past must act against and inspire resistance to the oppression and domination” said musician Jess Santiago.
“In these times, for musicians and artists to be apathetic in face of a reprehensible anti-people force like the WTO is a criminal act” added Lourd de Veyra, front man of Radioactive Sago Project.
Listen online and download the album at focusweb.org
Concert for Food Sovereignty in Jakarta
Filipino Musician Jess Santiago set to perform with Ego Lemos of Timor Leste and Indonesian bands in the Food Sovereignty Night Concert on 12 June 2013 in Jakarta.
Youth Food Movement Indonesia: Sampler of music from upcoming collection of songs for Food Sovereignty
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkmLEMsS1MQ&w=420&h=315]
Youth Food Movement Indonesia: Music Campaign
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k725_eUTlps]
Asian Village Radio Show-episode 02
Episode 02 of the Asian Village Radio Show features a conversation with Ego Lemos, critically acclaimed singer-songwriter and activist from Timor Leste. Ego talks about his early years learning and performing songs in the capital Dili and how his music, inspired by his people’s struggle for liberation and independence, strives to convey messages of hope and inspiration. Two songs from Ego’s international debut album O’ Hele Le (skinnyfish music) is featured here .
Episode 02 also offers a sampling of struggle songs in the region by exiled Burmese journalist Ye Ni, Okinawan rock music icon Eiichi ‘Chibi’ Miyanaga, Cambodia’s all-female singing group, the Messenger Band, Indonesia’s living treasure Iwan Fals, and India’s well-respected Sumangala Damodaran.
A song from beyond our borders is likewise featured here with the performing group Patatag interpreting Pancho Lara’s Filipino adaptation of “A Desalambrar” by Daniel Viglietti of Uruguay.
