Mitch Valdes sings Minsan Ang Minahal Ay Ako with photos of PNoy in the background, leaving no dry eye at the Hyundai Hall
Now that many Filipinos already know that PNoy was an audiophile—a personal tidbit about the 15th president of the Philippines which, how ironic, the people knew a great deal about only after he passed away in 2021—then they perhaps should be interested to know that not only did PNoy gift his friends and staff with CDs of his favorite songs, PNoy also had a song he’d share with his staff and friends and meant for the mood—wacky, sad or significant— of each occasion.
For instance: I’m Too Sexy—when he wanted to tease his friends; Minsan ang Minahal ay Ako—when he’d turn pensive and perhaps to him, was symbolic of his ties to his country; Bukas Palad, when the challenges of the day became too heavy.
For one night, the Hyundai Hall at Areté, Ateneo de Manila University, turned into the music room of the late former President Noynoy Aquino—with more than 850 guests who came, mostly dressed in yellow, to watch some of the country’s leading performing artists perform a few songs from his own playlist.
PNoy’s Playlist: The Concert, held August 11, was a benefit show for Ateneo scholars but at the same time, it gave people a chance to know a more personal side of PNoy.
Some of the country’s top performers who were also his close friends brought to life the music that mirrored who PNoy was: a romantic; reflective; someone who was sentimental but absolutely funny, too.
One of PNoy’s listening chairs, CDs, album, ‘audition notes,’ his small table, and favorite snacks were on display against a photo backdrop at Arete’s Ubuntu Space
PNoy had an eclectic taste in music. His nephew, Kiko Aquino Dee, said in his brief speech during the show, that he himself wondered what a concert featuring songs by the Bukas Palad Music Ministry and the Spice Girls would look like.
“Now we know and all our lives are better for it,” said Kiko, who is the deputy executive director of the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation (NCAF) which produced the concert.
“Tito Noy’s unfinished business included working with the country’s next generation of leaders,” says Kiko Aquino Dee
Overall director, Leo Rialp, and musical director, Bond Samson, worked their magic to put coherence to the 26 songs especially curated for the concert. People closest to PNoy—Rapa Lopa, Rene Almendras, Abi Valte, JC Casimiro, AJ Ardiente, Ivy Reanzares, and Yolly Yebes—shared stories about him in interview clips during the performances.
The concert opened with Panalangin ng Pagiging Bukas Palad, a Bukas Palad song that PNoy listened to in times of challenges and contemplation. An aide discovered that the last songs PNoy listened to the day before he passed away on June 24, 2021 were from a Bukas Palad album.
The song was performed by a group of theater artists who that night was collectively known as the “Playlist Singers”. They were invited by Leo and veteran theater actor, Ricci Chan, who was also the show’s choreographer. The theater artists —Jose Eduardo Geronimo Barrameda, Gerard Nicolo Dy, Carlon Josol Matobato, Ivan Hallig Panganiban, Kyla Rivera Soong, Ronah Adiel R. de la Peña, Contessa Nathalie Manuel Everett, and Carmen Rose Eugenia Barredo —mastered over half of the concert’s playlist in such a short time and performed them to a highly engaged audience.
Veteran performers Mitch Valdes, Pinky Marquez, and Leah Navarro brought the house down.
Mitch Valdes, Pinky Marquez, and Leah Navarro bring the house down with the Spice Girls’ Wannabe wearing costumes by Eric Pineda
Their back-to-back performances of the Spice Girls’ hit Wannabe and Right Said Fred’s I’m Too Sexy worked up the audience. Dressed in vibrant costumes by designer Eric Pineda, Mitch, Pinky, and Leah had the audience singing and dancing with them.
PNoy’s staff would sing to Wannabe whenever he played this song, and I’m Too Sexy was his “pang-asar sa mga kaibigan” song.
The APO Hiking Society’s Jim Paredes and Boboy Garrovillo sang PNoy’s favorites, a medley of Pumapatak Na Naman Ang Ulan and Mahirap Magmahal Ng Syota Ng Iba, and with Noel Cabangon, Awit ng Barkada.
APO’s Boboy Garrovillo and Jim Paredes sing ‘Pumapatak Na Naman Ang Ulan’ and ‘Mahirap Magmahal Ng Syota Ng Iba’ medley
Jim Paredes and Noel Cabangon sing for good friend, PNoy.
Jim recounted the time PNoy showed him the rough sound system the President himself set up at Bahay Pangarap where he lived during his term. Listening to music, Jim said, was PNoy’s form of rest during his busy life as the country’s leader.
Noel, who sang Kanlungan, shared how he met PNoy, then a senator, during one of his gigs, and they became good friends ever since.
Ogie Alcasid made the ladies in the audience swoon and giddy as he sang his hit song, Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang, as he walked from the hall’s side door to the stage.
Ogie Alcasid makes the ladies in the audience ‘kilig’ in ‘Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang’
Ogie also said that while Lara Maigue was singing Fallin during the concert, he remembered the times he and PNoy listened to CDs and how the late President loved the song so much.
Lara Maigue sings ‘Fallin,’ a PNoy favorite, with Ric Mercado on guitar
“It just reminded me so much of just how much of a loving person PNoy was,” Ogie said. He also sang, Kailangan Kita, a song that was a constant in PNoy’s digital Walkman.
It wouldn’t have been a PNoy concert without a sing-along with the audience—a deft directorial touch. PNoy always handed the mic to his friends at parties and he loved listening to them sing. Pinky and Ricci led the karaoke moment with the songs It’s the Falling In Love, Just to See Her, and The Harder I Try.
Veteran theater artist Ricci Chan with the Playlist Singers
To see PNoy speak on video, so alive again in a short clip of a media interview about his Dad, Ninoy, and the song Impossible Dream became a poignant moment of the evening. Mike Shimamoto did a stirring Impossible Dream.
There was no dry eye in the room when Mitch sang Minsan Ang Minahal Ay Ako, PNoy’s most favorite OPM, as photos of the late President flashed on screen, bringing back beautiful memories of a man who devoted his entire but short life serving the country.
The show wrapped up with Mabuting Pilipino sung by the whole ensemble led by Noel, who urged the audience to stand up, sing along with them, and make a vow to be good Filipinos. As Mabuting Pilipino played, a portrait of the former President painted by his cousin-in-law, Didi Lopa, appeared on screen.
“Tito Noy’s unfinished business included working with the country’s next generation of leaders,” Kiko said.
That night, the audience chipped in to raise money for the Benigno Simeon Aquino III Scholarship Endowment so that one more deserving undergraduate student could continue studying at Ateneo, PNoy’s alma mater. The endowment was set up and launched last year by PNoy’s classmates from Ateneo Batch ’81.
Kiko gave the spotlight to the endowment’s current scholars, Oona Barnes and Rasheed Albel. Oona is a fourth-year BS Biology major who aspires to become a medical doctor with a focus on women’s health and underserved communities. Rasheed, a second-year BS Applied Mathematics-Master in Data Science major, wants to help improve the quality of mathematics education in Mindanao and integrate the field of study into public service.
Benigno Simeon Aquino III Scholarship Endowment recipient Oona Barnes
Benigno Simeon Aquino III Scholarship Endowment recipient Rasheed Albel
For those who want to support the Benigno Simeon Aquino III Scholarship endowment fund, they may visit giving.ateneo.edu or contact the Ateneo’s Office of Admissions and Aid at scholarships.ls@ateneo.edu or call (+63) 919 063 2376, (+632) 8426-6001 loc. 5154 and 5155, and (+632) 8426-6075.
PNoy’s Playlist: The Concert setlist:
Panalangin Sa Pagiging Bukas Palad
Araw-Gabi
Awitin Mo At Isasayaw Ko
Pumpatak Na Naman Ang Ulan and Mahirap Magmahal Ng Syota Ng Iba (medley)
Awit Ng Barkada
Kanlungan
Beep, Beep; Ligaw Tingin; Estudyante Blues; and Manila Girl (medley)
Love Will Come Someday
I Have Dreamed
Here’s To Life
Fallin’
Stay With Me
Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang?
Kailangan Kita
Wannabe
I’m Too Sexy
It’s The Falling In Love; Just To See Her; The Harder I Try (medley)
Impossible Dream
Minsan Ang Minahal Ay Ako
Mabuting Pilipino
