MY ONLINE research brought me places just so I could watch a Valentine concert for Valentine’s Night. But that’s just me, a hopeless romantic and a sentimental fool. What would you know, a week before Valentine’s Day, I saw on my Meta feed a priest’s post of an upcoming Valentine concert, and voila, the research simply ended! The concert was just in my backyard, to so speak.
This knowledge led me to obtaining information about how to get a ticket. But let’s not get ahead of the story.
Now, for Valentine’s Day, I had two goals: I desired a valentine date with music, and I wanted to write about it. What’s life without a story, huh!
Friday night, February 14
Armed with my ticket, I drove to Bohol Cultural Center to watch Harana sa Kaparian. I came early like I always do because I wanted to see the whole concert from beginning to end and be mesmerized by the experience. Can’t blame me, I was really looking forward to it.
Gladly, the concert started early—at 7:07 p.m. on my watch, and right off the bat, the young clergy of the Diocese of Tagbilaran entertained us with a fantastic repertoire of songs and dances that one can easily forget these gentlemen wear liturgical vestments! You can discern from the way they move, glide, and swagger on stage that they are young, vibrant, and full of enthusiasm. I was really amused by the song and dance routines. I knew just by looking at them that they were having a blast! However, for the life of me, I couldn’t exactly pinpoint where Fr. Tol Anico was in the entire presentation. Perhaps they were too many on the stage, haha!
This rousing performance was followed by more soulful tunes, deep voices blending, and more dance choreographies by the lower middle clergy with Fr. Cecil Lobrigas dancing his heart out; the upper middle clergy led by Msgr. Efren Bongay — I don’t really know him personally so I couldn’t add a line or two; and the senior clergy with Fr. Leonel Grado, the consummate balladeer, singing and dancing with gusto! I would say all the sleeping talents were unleashed that night!
And then the young seminarians performed an a capella of Minsan Lang Kitang Iibigin that was both touching and poignant I could almost hear my heart pound, haha! Glad the music operator eventually adjusted the microphone volume; the echo nearly ruined the beautiful execution. Another round of younger seminarians danced the hip hop which suited them perfectly given all their energy and vibe.
Fr. Edick Monreal rendered a heartfelt Bisaya ballad that held the audience spellbound for a few minutes. Trust me, Bisaya songs when delivered flawlessly, never fail to tug at the heartstrings solely because it is our native language. It has its own unique qualities, cultural symbolism, and a depth and connection with a community that speaks the same language. More Bisaya ballads in the future please!
And the sisters! Ah, the sisters are not to be eclipsed. Their moving interpretation of the movie Sister Act’s “I will follow Him” starring Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith, was marvelous! I loved it! There’s just something about nuns performing. It’s like they become more human—not that they are not. But it is probably the religious habit. Unlike priests, nuns wear the habit year-in, year-out, separating them from the rest of humanity. However, when they sing and dance, to me, they become just like us, regular mortals.
In my research, I learned that out of one hundred thirty priests in the diocese, about a hundred priests participated in the concert. Remarkable! Thirty seminarians sang a capella while twenty others danced. The sister act included sixty nuns. I would say it was a mammoth production.
I must commend Fr. Irvin Garsuta, the overall musical director for mounting such an event with only a month-long preparation. Kudos to you Fr. Irvin! If they can produce nearly two hours of musical extravaganza in one month; just imagine what they can do with six months or twelve months of preparations and rehearsals! And with the way several priests are blessed with terpsichorean talents, I’m not surprised they themselves choreographed the dance numbers with the help of some lay people.
In characteristic humor, Bishop Abet Uy quipped during his welcome statement, “Kabalo ba mo ngano nga gipili nato ang Valentine’s Day para sa among concert?” [Audience: “Wa”] “Wa? Tungod kay gusto nato nga ang atong mga pari dili mag-date bisan asa. [The audience erupted in laughter.] . . . Gusto nato naa silay date: kamong tanan.” [Audience applauded]. Oh boy, that was hilarious. This and his other valentine pick-up lines brought the house down.
Asked about the goal of the concert, the bishop said, “In addition to our fundraising goal, the concert serves as an opportunity for us, as priests and nuns, to strengthen our bonds, which is crucial for our ministry, and foster camaraderie among us.” “We need to raise funds to complete our Centrum Project, situated next to St. Joseph the Worker Cathedral, to accommodate essential diocesan offices, the Tribunal Court, and the retirement rooms for ill and retired priests,” he added.
Since Uy became the bishop of the Diocese of Tagbilaran eight years back, the diocese had produced three major concerts including fund-raising concerts abroad with a small group of priests—the Singing Priests of Tagbilaran.
Not to be outdone, the bishop also belted a couple of songs together with Fr. Adonnis “Ado” Hubac, his go-to priest. I was grinning while looking at them singing with their ubiquitous mobile phones in hand providing the lyrics of their songs! Looks like they hadn’t memorized the lines!
Admittedly, I don’t know many priests in Bohol because I lived in another city for thirty years but there are those I have known since I was very young like Fr. Linuel Calope Cañizares, a cousin on the Calope side; Fr. Alger Lungay Angcla of the Lungay (Alay-Ano) Clan—I was searching for Fr. Alger during the act and I found him dancing and singing with his eyeglasses on; Fr. Joyjoy Polinar of my SCA days; Fr. Lito Geangan, a college classmate; Msgr. Boy Nunag, a good friend of my parents, Fr. King Vaño of my Taloto public school years, and Msgr. Felipe Digal, a contemporary of my mother. Since I returned in August 2022, I have met the following owing to my work, advocacy, and through social gatherings: Fr. Joel Ruyeras through a family friend’s birthday dinner; Fr. Tol Anico, Fr. Jingboy Saco, Fr. Econ Supremo, and Fr. Cecil Lobrigas whom I interviewed for my talk show and newspaper column, respectively; Fr. James Darunday—introduced by Fr. Jingboy; Fr. Tonton Deluao who officiated the mass at the Alay-Ano Clan reunion in December 2024; Msgr. Jeff Malanog whom I met during Nang Neria Lim Te’s birthday thanksgiving in 2023, and Bishop Abet Uy because of my good governance and environmental advocacies.
The Valentine gig ended at 9:28 in the evening—there was an encore for those who missed the early parts of the concert.
Oh yes, I want to thank the bishop for my concert ticket. I truly had a date with music!
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The writer hosts Woman Talk with Belinda Sales every Saturday, 10 a.m. at 91.1 Balita FM Tagbilaran City. Momentarily, Woman Talk is taking a short break. Email at belindabelsales@gmail.com. X @ShilohRuthie./PN
