I found an amazing acapella group through a friend's FB posts. Due to the fact that the said friend was a member of the Philippine Madrigal Singers, i thought I could not go wrong with hi in checking out Pentatonix.

I hope you enjoy their music as much as I do. :)

My boss asks us to hold a monthly birthday salo-salo for all our staff. No one is required to bring food for everyone (there are more than 40 of us in the group, so this would be unsustainable.)  But it a chance for us to celebrate the birthdays of the celebrants for the month... it is a chance for us to eat together and to just gather as one.

This month, the Procurement Office was assigned to spearhead the birthday salo-salo. This is one of the busiest offices in the university, as they are a part of the bidding process, purchase everything from pencils to cars, etc.

It was heartwarming to see the effort that they placed in preparing the event. Not only did they reserve the venue, invite everyone, etc. But they also went beyond and prepared video clips with themes on team building, camaraderie, and heroism. 

It is truly inspiring to see your team going beyond what is expected. This is the best reward that a manager.. rather, a leader, can get.

The European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (GPE) is like the Olympics of the Chorale World. It happens every two years: Year 1 is when different Choirs compete to qualify for the EGP and Year 2 is when the choirs compete for the title itself. 

The Philippine Madrigal Singers is the only choir from the Philippines who has one twice (the other choir who has won twice is APZ Tone Tomšič.) I believe the Madz is the only choir from the Philippines who has won. 

The Ateneo College Glee Club (ACGC), the oldest University Choir in the Philippines has qualified for the GPE twice. The first was during Sir Joel Navarro's time and the second was last year under the baton of Ma'am Malou Hermo.


I used to sing with the ACGC back in College. So I was very interested to see their progress. 

The ACGC competed just this weekend in Maribor, Slovenia for the GPE. But unfortunately, they lost against the Sofia Vocalensemble of Sweden. 

At the end of the day, I think the who the judges will chose as the winner, is also dependent on the criteria these judges place importance on. Human subjectivity still plays a role in these competitions. 

Other factors that may have affected this result is the fact that not everyone from the Tour Cast of 2011 were present for the 2012 competition. 

Still, I think that qualifying for the GPE twice, under 2 different conductors, and with singers who are (mostly) not music majors--  the fact that Ateneo De Manila University does not even have a music program-- is a feat unto itself. 

I am proud to have the ACGC represent the country. 

And now for some good music.... click the videos below and enjoy!

Holy Week means different things to different people. Some of my friends see it as the longest vacation they’ll get for the summer; so they schedule their beach trips during this time. Others believe this is the best time to catch up on some sleep or some DVDs. But since I am active in church, a lot of the people I know celebrate it through service and through the Catholic traditions we Filipinos love.

I have been lucky enough to belong to provinces (Capiz and Pampangga.) These are where I go home to during the Holy Week. But I have also experienced staying home in Manila. (Manila has less people during this week because everyone seems to be out of town, so staying home isn’t so bad.)

Seeing that we are celebrating Holy Week today, I wanted to share a few ideas on how we can reflect on the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ. In today’s age of the internet and of gadgets, is there a way to celebrate Holy Week meaningfully?

Celebrating Catholic traditions

You can go to Visita Iglesia on Maundy Thursday. Pray and reflect over the Stations of the Cross as you tour different churches in Metro Manila or Luzon. This is a great way to study about the history of our faith, learn about architecture, and reflect on our Lord’s Passion and Death.

Prepare handouts for everyone so that you can all take turns in leading the prayer. I suggest that you also prepare background music for the in-betweens.  You can check out music from the Jesuit Music Ministry or Hillsong. Remember, this is not just an ordinary road trip. So keep the atmosphere prayerful and solemn throughout the duration of the trip.

You can also go to your local church to attend the Triduum service for Holy Week. View the Mass of our Lord’s Supper and the ceremony of Washing of the Feet on Maundy Thursday. Priests and lay people re-enact how Jesus showed the world what true servant leadership is and how Jesus humbled himself for us all.

On Good Friday, there are services for the Seven Last Words. A lot of churches invite speakers to share their reflections on this event. In our parish, the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we even include song and dance performances to enhance the atmosphere of reflection. Afterwards, the Veneration of the Cross usually takes place until midnight of that night.

The longest mass in church is celebrated during the evening of Holy Saturday. The Easter Vigil is often overshadowed by the Misa del  Gallo (Christmas Eve mass.)  But this is an important service we should go to as we celebrate our Lord’s Resurrection.

The Easter Vigil celebrates how Jesus became the Light of the World when he died for all of us.  The service begins with all lights turned-off. Seven accounts from the Bible are read.  The Gloria and Alleluia are sung once again after the 40 days of Lent. This is also the service when baptism can take place and where adult catechumens are welcomed into the church. It’s a ceremony worth attending.

Truly Pinoy Holy Week Ceremonies

If you are lucky enough to have a province to go home to, I suggest that you take this time to travel back. Provinces in the Philippines have different traditions when it comes to celebrating the Holy Week. Besides the reading of the Pasyon, there are also processions and services you can join. 

Today, here in Pampangga, I witnessed the bloodletting and the crucifixion of several devotees. These people usually have a panata (pact with God) to undergo the same suffering Christ went through, in exchange for granted prayers or as an act of penitence for the sinful life lived. Having this view of God who requires blood sacrifice is probably rooted to the Pre-Spanish rituals of Filipinos. (Warning: Graphic Photos posted below.) 

Using Technology to strengthen the Faith

If you can’t get out of work or of the house, you can also turn to television or to the computer, to celebrate Holy Week. Stations like TV Maria have Holy Week specials, where you can listen to the Word of God from the comfort of your home.

If you live in a condo and don’t own a television set, you can switch on your internet to view programs via live streaming. Read blogs to nourish your sould. Or you can check out rappler.com’s Holy Week special.  They have articles written by Jesuits, Music Videos, and even a Virtual Stations of the Cross.

So remember, you can spend Holy Week any way you choose. But you can make it more meaningful and use the time to truly reflect by joining Catholic traditions, witnessing Pinoy ceremonies or using modern technology to strengthen your faith.

Have a blessed Holy Week!

Bubbly