1st Aeta children choir in Bataan holds concert for a cause

BALANGA City, Bataan- Friday evening was a special night to remember in Bataan, hearing two hours of beautiful music and watching  a short Christmas skit from  an Aeta children choir and a youth orchestra from the lowland.

The occasion was the first concert for a cause by the first choral group in Bataan of Aeta children aged 8 – 18 years called the Koro Bangkal Magbikin  from an upland village in Abucay, Bataan.

The 20-member Orkestra Kabataan from Pagalanggang,  Dinalupihan, Bataan was their special guest.

The Koro from Bangkal, Aeta village in Abucay town, was organized by the provincial tourism office in 2009 while the Orkestra was formed by the Missionary of the Society of St. Paul in 2010.

Tickets for the concert  at P250 each were sold out.  Spectators who cheered heavily after every performance filled the spacious Dona Emiliana Hall in Balanga City.

Vicky Garcia, chair of the Bataan Tourism Council Foundation, said proceeds from the concert and love gifts from appreciative audience are kept in the bank for personal and schooling expenses of the Aeta children.

“Because they live in the mountains among chirping birds, they have angelic voices and this many people noticed,” she said.

Vicky, mother of bachelor Gov. Albert Garcia, said the Aeta children have gone a long way. “Dati-rati mahiyain sila at hindi makatingin kapag kausap ng mga tao pero ngayon may self-confidence na  at sanay ng humawak ng mikropono,” she said.

She thanked Maestro Nestie Enriquez of Samal, Bataan for training the young natives who wore  different Filipina attires in every presentation.

Members of the Koro Bangkal Magbikin were stunning in long gowns for girls and Barong Tagalog for boys as they sang the doxology and the National Anthem and then “Bayan Ko” and “Bayani at Banal”.

The Orkestra Kabataan wooed the audience with their rendition of “Canon”, “21 Guns” and “Sway”.

The Aeta children showed they can act as some of them played the roles of an angel, St. Joseph, Virgin Mary and the 3 Kings in “Panuluyan” while the choir sang “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”, “O Holy Night”, “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World”.

The big audience felt a fiesta atmosphere when the Orkestra Kabataan performed the musical rendition of “Sayaw sa Bangko”, Pandanggo sa Ilaw” and “Pobreng Alindahaw”.

The Koro Bangkal Magbikin brought the house down when selected members showed their expertise in dancing the  “tinikling” to the accompaniment of the Orkestera Kabataan.

Before the curtain fell, the Aeta children sang contemporary songs “Panalangin”, “Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko,” “Limang Dipa Tao Ko”, “Roar” and finally, “Kumukuti-kutitap”.

“We have fun, amazing music,” husband and wife said.

Among the big audience were Rep. Enrique Garcia, Balanga City Mayor Jose Enrique Garcia III and wife Isabel, Dinalupihan Mayor Gila Garcia, Pilar Mayor Alice Pizarro, mayors’ wives, Geraldine Roman and many others. (30)