I found this on Youtube a couple of weeks ago. The video itself is supposed to be a summary of the HIV & AIDS situation in the Philippines as of July 2008. But what really caught my attention was the song that served as background music to it.
A rap song about HIV & AIDS is interesting enough. But a Pinoy original rap song about HIV & AIDS? Very interesting.
Composed and performed by Alexis & Jerry of a group called QC Peer Educators, the song is part of the video which is a project of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement - HIV & AIDS Prevention Project, and sponsored by UNICEF.
I took the liberty to transcribe the lyrics of the song as best I can, so we can all digest the message further. Check it out.
HIV & AIDS Theme Rap Song
Composed and performed by Alexis & Jerry
REFRAIN:
May sasabihin ako
Kailangang pakatandaan
Tungo sa tamang daan
At para sa pangkalahatan
May mga sakit na lumalaganap
Kaya't ingatan ang sarili
Ito ay ang HIV, AIDS
STI o STD
Repeat REFRAIN
Talagang lubos na nakakapinsala
Ang sakit ng kapabayaan
Na walang pinipili na estado
Mahirap man o maging mayaman
Kaya't iyong matatamo
Kapag sa kamundohan ay hinayaan
Na maagaw ang iyong kalooban
Na ang punto'y kamatayan
Kaya aking maipapayo
Di lamang sa mga kabataan
Ay umasta ng wasto
Upang di nyo pagsisisihan
Ang magagawang kamalian
Upang di na pamamarisan
Ang tinuturing na kamalasan
Ng mga kabataang nababahiran
Hindi dahilan ang kahirapan
Kung iwawasto ang pangangatawan
Alam ko na alam mo rin
Ang tunay nitong kahalagahan
Kaya laging pakatandaan
Upang sa isipan manumbalik
Kalinisan ang itatak
Huwag agad makipagtalik
Hinalina ang iyong sarili
Sa wastong tinanda
Sa'ming awit ng kaligtasan
Na aming tinakda
Buksan ang isipan at puso
At ang iyong kamalayan
Na tuluyan nang mawakasan
Ang ganitong kalagayan
Repeat REFRAIN 2x
VERSE SET 1
Mga sakit na nakakamatay
At lubos na nakakahawa
Sa tinagal ng iyong lagay
Kundisyon ay nakakaawa
Mapaminsala
Sa maselang parte ng bahagi ng ating katawan
Kailangan buksan ang ating isip
At dagdagan ang kaalaman
Wag kang maging padalosdalos
Para sa ikakabuti
Lagi mo lang tatandaan
Nasa huli ang pagsisisi
Siguro naman ay alam mo na
Kung pano mo 'to maiiwasan
Isa lamang itong mensahe
Para din sa ating kaligtasan
At huwag hayaan sa ating lipunan
Ay tuluyang lumala
Gawin natin ang makakaya
Para ito'y mawala
At huwag ipagsawalang bahala
Ang ganitong sitwasyon
Marami nang sakit na ganito
Kaya malaki na ang populasyon
Kasi pag umatake na ang libog
Kahit may AIDS hindi na bale
Ito ang mga pananaw
Na dapat alisin sa'ting sarili
Kaya't ang iba'y nagkakasakit
Nahihiyang magpakonsulta
Dahil sa kanyang maling pananaw
Yun ang naging resulta
Repeat REFRAIN 2x
VERSE SET 2
Iwasan na ang ganitong kalagayan
Ito'y sakit ng ating bayan
Na dapat nating puksain
Upang hindi na pamahayan
Ang ating lipunan na
Sagad sagad sa kahirapan
Kaya tuloy hindi nabago
Ang ganitong kaganapan
Sa isipan ng mga
Walang malay na kabataan
Na maagang namulat
At maaga na nabahiran
Ng ganitong mga sakit
Pagiwas ang aming komento
Aminado din kami
Na kami ay di perpekto
Kailangan lamang pakatandaan
Iwasan ang ganitong sakit
Kung ayaw mong maranasan
Ang kapalaran ng pagkapait
Bakit dapat iwasan
Ayon sa pananaliksik
Ay sa kadahilanan ng maling
Wastong pakikipagtalik
Ito'y kalbaryo sa kalusugan
At isa sa mga delubyo
Mahirap na malunasan
Pag napasukan na ng mikrobyo
Sa listahan ng mga may sakit
Ilang milyon na ang nakatala
Kaya kaibigan magingat ka
At yan ang aking babala
Repeat REFRAIN 2x
Monday, November 23, 2009
It's a Rap!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Mabuhay!
The Republic of the Philippines is an archipelago in Southeast Asia. It is comprised of around 7,107 islands, depending on whether it's high or low tide, divided into 3 major island groups, 17 regions, 81 provinces, 136 cities, 1,494 municipalities and 41,995 barangays or villages. Whew. That's a lot.
The Philippines is a melting pot. We’re neither black nor white, we’re somewhere in between, the brown beings of the earth. We’re a melting pot of races, generations, cultures, religions, nationalities, dialects, traditions and sexualities.
I actually feel I'm lucky to be a gay man in the Philippines. I believe the general population is accepting of gays, as they can be encountered everywhere, as hairdressers, make-up artists, fashion designers, stand-up comedians, impersonators, entertainers, dancers, masseurs, girls' best friends, and lately, the trend has spread to customer service, especially call center agents.
I guess the sad part about it is that the stereotype of effeminacy still prevails, which causes the misuse of the word bisexual to encompass discreet gays here.
Homosexuals here are lucky, but to some extent. We are accepted, but not entirely celebrated. I mean I don't see any gay marriage laws taking effect any time soon. But other than the close-to-dying generation and the closed-minded catholic sector, we can live pretty freely with the rest of the normal Filipinos here.
Living with HIV in the Philippines is another thing. I’d say it’s still on the border of being taboo, just like contraception and safe sex. No one talks about it. I never knew or met anyone who had it before this. I’d only see people with HIV on the news, or in documentaries, and not that often either. It’s even still regarded by most as a gay disease. I think the mere fact that only one specific ward in one specific hospital caters especially to patients with HIV and AIDS might sum it all up. Are we being tucked away in a corner of the closet? I’m still trying to figure out for myself how it is really to be living here with HIV.
Although I do look purely Filipino, I am actually not,. My family tree will reveal traces of British, Panamanian, and Chinese in my mix. So I myself am a melting pot.
Regardless, I like it here. I’m not your typical Filipino whose ultimate dream is to go abroad and pursue so-called greener pastures, and eventually forget or deny that they were ever Filipinos.
On my sidebar, to express my pride in being Filipino, or ‘Pinoy for short, I now stamp this blog with the official “Proudly Pinoy” seal. Sa isip, sa salita, at sa gawa (By thoughts, by words and by actions…).
PinoyPoz is Filipino, and proud of it. Mabuhay!
