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Living it up for a cause: "KulasaKaBa?  One Music. One Voice.
One Hope"

By Carina L. Dela Cruz, Foundation Board Member & Project Manager
Minor Revisions by Cecilia P. Almazar, SSC Marketing & Communications Officer
Published in Manila Bulletin, Business Mirror and MEG Magazine
Photos by Prof. Daniel Wong Barrenechea
Posted: Friday December 04, 2009 10:38 AM

The Original Penthouse Gang		SSC Manila's Dance Edge delighting the audience with their Michael Jackson medley moves

We Rocked It! 

The biggest gathering of Scholasticans was held last November 20th at the Le Pavillon at the Metropolitan Park in Pasay City.  A dinner, concert, and party combined, "Kulasa Ka Ba? One Music. One Voice. One Hope." was truly a celebration of good music from the 50's all the way to 2009! 

Scholasticans, family members, and friends were dazzled by both the SSC String Quartet and the Grade School Choir while Sr. Mary John Mananzan, OSB, Mother Prioress of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters; Sr. M. Angelica Leviste, OSB, President of St. Scholastica's College, Manila; Sr. Mary Placid Abejo, OSB, Dean of the College of Music; and, Ms. Ma. Lourdes Castro-Roa, President of the St. Scholastica's Alumnae Foundation, Inc. (SSAFI) shared messages of inspiration. 

The City Hybrid and Jazz Trio bands provided splendid music while St. Scho's pride, Dance Edge, delighted the audience as they worked on a Michael Jackson medley. 

Everyone danced and sang along to the hits, all of which were performed by an all-Scholastican ensemble.  And with Mitch Valdez as host for the evening, the audience roared with laughter as she recalled her good 'ol days in St. Scholastica’s College, Manila.  Ms. Valdez happens to be one of the many prominent "Kulasas." 

Making the evening more exciting was the Raffle Break, which were led by "younger" Scholasticans and TV personalities, Reema Chanco and Miakka Lim.  Coffee makers and custom roasted coffee beans were given away, courtesy of Hawaiian Coffee Company; Gift certificates from Island Cove; and, Swarovski crystal-adorned wristwatches from Alexis Jewelry wowed the crowd.  

Capping off celebration was a retro number rendered by the Family Birth Control Band, who rendered 60's and 70's hits.  The Original Penthouse Gang also made a special appearance and grooved with the audience until midnight. 

Indeed, it was a trip down memory lane in the most fun manner!  But the evening brought in a much bigger "star," which was the Foundation's project called "From Streets to Strings."   

Scholasticans as Philanthropists 

"From Streets to Strings" speaks of Sr. Baptista Battig Music Foundation's engagement in unveiling the most talented performers and artists "from the streets of poverty to a better life through the power of music."   The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) estimates that there are up to 200,000 children and youth on the streets of Manila, most of whom have homes but would rather roam the streets due to neglect or even domestic abuse.   

Some of them are even forced to beg or work mostly through collecting garbage.  Some children were also reported to have run away from home while some chose to live on the streets for it is where they find a sense of belongingness, alongside money and food.

Robbed of childhood and innocence, these children turned to music in order to restore their faith in themselves, to reconnect with the society and perhaps with their families, and to be agents of change for their peers. 

Studies also show that children and youth who have experienced grief are inclined to express themselves through music as they do not have to rely only on words.  Thus, these children respond relatively easier to community music programs, with their skills very useful upon leaving the programs. 

Over the years, the Foundation has been providing underprivileged Filipino youth access to music as an alternative education or profession.  Through its outreach programs, the Foundation taps and hones musically inclined youth by providing short-term community training courses.  These outreach programs become a gateway for some of the Foundation's proteges who will qualify for St. Scholastica's College's School of Music's two-, three-, or even a five-year formal education in music.  Each qualified student receives a scholarship program for the School. 

The aftermath is employment here and abroad, of course – that is, in cruise ships, hotels, schools, and production companies to name a few.  With the help of the scholarship fund, these underprivileged youth become productive, disciplined, and self-reliant members of our society.  By providing them with a great opportunity, not only does the Foundation and the School help them realize their dreams.  They, too, shall be homegrown talents who can raise the bar of Filipino musicians locally and internationally as well as be an inspiration for generation to come. 

"From Streets to Strings" is the Foundation's ongoing campaign for its music scholars who intend to create the spirit of giving as a lifestyle.  All donations to the Sr. Baptista Battig Music Foundation, Inc. are 100% tax-deductible both in the Philippines and in the U.S. 

"KulasaKaBa?" is a call to action for all Scholasticans or "Kulasas" (i.e., a moniker for the students of St. Scholastica’s College, Manila) to form a bond:  That no small act of kindness is insignificant if done in unity.  

It is best to plant the seed of change in one's circle of influence but it is the initiative that will hopefully spread beyond the home turf of Scholasticans beyond borders and across the seas.  The Foundation endeavors this project to leave a mark on the minds of many people, as this is a unique and noble campaign.   

It also looks forward to forging alliances with reputable corporations to strengthen the Foundation's objectives of reaching out to homeless children and youth.  Every single contribution counts and can definitely go a long way for the Filipino youth. 

So, just how can the Foundation change a nation?  It's one child with one "Kulasa" at a time, from one generation to the next.   When asked about one's roots, "Kulasa Ka Ba?"  The answer that evening was a resounding, "Oo, Kulasa Ako! Sasama ako sa pagbabago!" 

For more information on Sr. Baptista Battig Music Foundation, Inc., please visit us at http://www.ssc.edu.ph/battig/.

PHOTO GALLERY:

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Related Link:  "Kulasa Ka Ba?: One Music. One Voice. One Hope.