Filipino artistry at SM City North-EDSA

MANILA, Philippines – Mallgoers at SM City North-EDSA will have the opportunity to see Filipino artistry at its best with the performances by the Mabuhay Singers and a Balagtasan tableaux by the Filipino Heritage Festival Group this weekend.

As part of the ongoing Heritage Festival, the organizing group will showcase a Balagtasan today, 5 p.m. at the Atrium of The Block.

Balagtasan is a verbal joust in Bulacan of yore among poets. Named after Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar, the Prince of Tagalog poets, it has two debaters and a debate moderator.

The Mabuhay Singers, on the other hand, will perform live tomorrow, May 24, 5 p.m. at The Atrium of The Block. The group is a combination of two trios from the late ‘50s  — Tres Rosas composed of Carmen Camacho, Nora Hermosa and Raye Lucero; and Lover’s Trio composed of Ador Torres, Bert Legaspi, and Flora San Juan. These are singers known for their classic, traditional, standard and folk Filipino songs.

Prominent singers and soloists like Ruben Tagalog, Alfred Larosa, Cely Bautista, Ric Manrique, Jr., Rita Rivera, Don David, Flor Ocampo, Noel Samonte, Betty Rivera, Robert Natividad, Chi Lucero became part of the group.

Under musical director Leopoldo Silos, the Mabuhay Singers recorded more than a hundred long playing albums and singles from the ‘50s up to the early ‘70s. The group also toured the US and Canada as part of the Tourism Department’s Balikbayan project in 1973 to encourage Filipinos abroad to visit their native land.

The group has received numerous awards including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Aliw Awards Foundation, and a National Award of Recognition from the Philippine language commission for promoting Philippine languages and culture through their song.

Today, the Mabuhay Singers has Sonia Roco and Dr. Noel Jusay Lacsamana of the International Eye Center as their patrons. They also sing with the group every Sunday night with members Cely Bautista, Raye Lucero, Carmen Camacho, Peping de Leon, Eddie Suarez, Jimmy Salonga and Marlon Marigosque.