Legarda: PPO Serenades Antiqueños, KWF Unveils First Language Monument in PH

Senator Loren Legarda will attend today two historic events in Antique—the unveiling of the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino’s (KWF) first Language Monument or Bantayog-Wika in the country and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra’s (PPO) concert, 25 years after its first performance in the province.

Legarda, together with KWF and Antique Province officials, will lead the unveiling of the language marker for Kinaray-a, one of several Philippine languages spoken mainly in Antique and other provinces in the Visayas, at the EBJ Freedom Park in San Jose, Antique. Installation artist Luis ‘Junyee’ Yee, Jr. designed and created the language marker.

“According to the United Nations, languages are important in preserving and developing tangible and intangible heritage. Thus, we need to comprehensively document all languages of our ethno-linguistic groups in the country and we should promote the continued use of such languages.  The Bantayog-Wika project is one way of preserving our native languages,” said Legarda.

Bantayog-Wika is a nationwide project of Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) that seeks to identify areas where languages originated. The project is supported by Senator Legarda.

The KWF has already been in coordination with other local government units (LGUs) for the implementation and installation of the language markers in their respective sites. Among the sites that they aim to accomplish in the first quarter of the year are in Dapitan for Subanen, San Luis, Aurora for Alta, and Bongao, Tawi-Tawi for Sinama/Sama.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra’s concert at the San Juan Nepomuceno Church in Anini-y, Antique is historic as it is the 25^th anniversary since the first time the PPO performed in the province, also in Anini-y, in 1993.

“This is a most historic event as the PPO performs in our beloved province 25 years after its first performance. But today is especially significant as this was organized through government funding—another indication of the government’s continuing and growing support for the promotion of art and culture,” said Legarda, who ensured funding for the PPO outreach concerts in Antique and Iloilo.

She added that it is also a fitting celebration following the successful restoration of the San Juan Nepomuceno Church, which was completed last year.

The PPO concert will be conducted by Maestro Herminigildo Ranera. A conductor, composer, arranger, performer and educator, Dr. Ranera is the associate conductor of the PPO.

The concert will be divided into two parts. For the first part, the PPO will perform classical pieces such as Johann Strauss’s Fledermaus Overture, Ivanovich’s Waves of the Danube Waltz, and Leroy Anderson’s Serenata.

The second part will feature well-known and popular Broadway and Filipino music including a Frank Sinatra Medley (arranged by Jerry Nowak), a Broadway Tonight Suite (arranged by Chase), Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, an Aegis Overture (arranged by J. Itugot), a well-known Visayan song Dandansoy (arranged by R. Cayabyab), Walang Angay (also arranged by R. Cayabyab), pop music Despacito (arranged by H. Ranera), and a VST Medley (arranged by R. Sarrel).

After the Antique concert, the orchestra will move to Iloilo for a musical performance on March 2 at the Iloilo Convention Center in Mandurriao, Iloilo City. The PPO concert in Iloilo is spearheaded by the Office of Senator Franklin Drilon.

Established in 1973 as an accompaniment for the performing artists at the CCP Theater, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra has become the country’s leading orchestra and is widely regarded as one of the top musical ensembles in the Asia-Pacific region.