Song for Daryl

Cong Corrales

“…I’ve sang a lot of songs, I’ve made some bad rhymes…” – Leon Russel, Song for you

ON Sunday, the organization for musicians and buskers in the city, Sammaka, held a benefit jam for one of our members, Daryl Dal at Manjo’s Bar. A fortnight ago, she had a stroke and is now in comatose at Polymedic Hospital.

The performances were brimming with talent and did not disappoint. I bumped into some old familiar faces–Classical guitarist extraordinaire Ernie Vasquez, fellow columnist Rhona “The Diva” Canoy, mommy Ophelia Moreno-Lacre and her daughters Jingjing and Jangjang, whom I had the pleasure of being in a band with a lifetime ago. Also there but weren’t able to render their song for Daryl were George Bato, Jun Marts, Benjie, and many other local greats. The talents came in droves that many were not able to perform. But most were just happy to meet and shoot the breeze and talk about past gigs. A sort of reunion if you will.

Playing music have always been my refuge ever since I was young. I started strumming the guitar when I was  eight years old. For me, it was just a way for me to express. I didn’t think that someday I’d make a living out of it.

Our neighbor Dr. Francis Liston “discovered” me while we were having a jam session under the Santol tree on Pisces Street in Villa Ernesto Subdivision. I remember him saying that my performance could already pass for a folk house.

My very first gig was at Achas’ Abode at the corner of Corrales and JR Borja streets. Then another bar owner who saw me perform there sort of “pirated” me to sing in his bar. It was fun. I got paid for doing what I love to do.

However, like any profession, there is a dark side to it. You don’t have the security of tenure. The bar owner can fire you anytime. A performer doesn’t have social remuneration like Pag-ibig, SSS from the employer. You’ll have to pay for it yourself as “self-employed.” Another thing is, all the late nights performing in gigs will take its toll on your body.

Manny “Manny Jun” Peralta, who invited me to the event, and I talked about how the organization could address musicians’ problem on social remuneration. He suggested a local legislation for the local musicians. I agree.

Since musicians are virtually the city’s ambassadors, I think it’s fair for City Hall to have a “go-to fund” in case they have medical emergencies. Any musician is only as good as their last gig. It would be good if the social welfare of the city could extend help while the musician is still alive and could still be helped that the usual burial assistance.

I hope the new and improved City Council can help Sammaka with this.

• •

Yesterday, someone I know told my ex-girlfriend he signed the “Tokhang” memo not to do drugs anymore. The problem was he is neither a user nor a pusher. A neighbor of his told him he was supposedly in the Badac list of drug personalities and that it would be better if he cleared his name at the Barangay Hall. Went to the Barangay Hall he did. But when he was there, a barangay official said he was never in the list but since he was there already, he might as well just sign the memo.

After he heard of the news of so-called Tokhang “surrenders” who were summarily executed in Barangay Balubal a week ago, he now regrets believing his neighbor. Had he not fallen for it, there wouldn’t have been any record of him confessing to a thing he hasn’t done. Tough luck. Well, that’s Crime Fighting Shortcut 101 for you. Pfft