Bravo Filipino: Honoring The Filipino Artist at Home

The Ayala group of companies is sponsoring Bravo Filipino, a festival of Philippine art, music, and fashion slated to run from January to April, 2008.

Its project organizers claim that, “Bravo Filipino is first and foremost a celebration of the Filipino’s innate ability to create and embrace art and music of world-class caliber.” It was conceived primarily to promote Filipino creativity and ingenuity.

Bravo Filipino is the brainchild of Ayala chairman emeritus Jaime Zobel de Ayala. “Everyday, I discover new talent and new enthusiasm in the Filipino soul. What is sad is that we have to wait to see someone succeed abroad to give that person a name, and then we go all out to honor that person. And so I thought, we should start to discover such artists here, and make them famous with the whole country supporting them,” Zobel said.

The project is a fusion of classic works, and contemporary and modern pieces in Philippine art, music, and fashion. Seasoned artists, as well as talented newcomers, will take center stage during the festival’s run.

Ayala Center Cebu will showcase the Filipinas Heritage Library’s Himig Collection, a collection of Philippine phonograph records at Paseo Marina on April 21 to 27.  

As part of Bravo Filipino, the Ayala group of companies presents Himig Collection: An Exhibit. The exhibit is slated to be on view at Ayala malls from February to April 2008.

Featuring music and lyrics from the Himig Collection of the Filipinas Heritage Library, the exhibit aims to recognize the Filipino’s musical ingenuity, and is a tribute to the rich musical heritage of the Philippines. Informative elements—such as the genres of Philippine music, and the life and works of select National Artists in Music like Jovita Fuentes, Atang de la Rama, and Levi Celerio—and listening stations featuring digitized versions of original Pilipino music (OPM) will be mounted. Original lyric sheets will also be shown in the exhibition. Items of particular interest, such as an authentic phonograph, vintage records and album covers, will be on display.    

It will be capped off with a concert featuring the musical director par excellence and one of the foremost icons in the field of music, Mr. Ryan Cayabyab on April 25.  The show will start at 6PM and shoppers will enjoy a night filled with their favorite classic OPM hits at the Ayala South Surface Parking.

Bravo Filipino is supported by the Ayala Malls, Ayala Corporation, Ayala Foundation, Ayala Land, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Globe, Honda Cars Makati, Integrated Microelectronics, Isuzu Automative Dealership, and Manila Water.

Bravo Filipino is poised to become one of the most exciting cultural events of 2008.  For more details on how to get an entry pass for the concert, call 231-5342 local 324 and for details on the Himig Collection, email, [email protected]