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