Lea and Gary record together for the first time for medical frontliners

“How do we do something like Live Aid?” That was the ambitious query originally pitched by Bienvenido “Donnie” Tantoco III, president of TOYM (Ten Outstanding Young Men) Foundation to National Artist and award-winning songwriter Ryan Cayabyab or fondly “Mr. C” to all those who know him.

Donnie initially thought about gathering artists to make a music video, with a song to be composed by Mr. C. However, Donnie was readily given a quick and honest answer by Mr. C.

“Donnie, you cannot afford Live Aid,” Mr. C said, referring to the 1985 fundraiser staged by artists in the United Kingdom for the famine in Africa. “I will just produce something from scratch for you.”

Given that assurance from Mr. C, the organizers immediately thought about two names. “The only two people that can do this powerfully and with the meaning that it deserves were Gary (Valenciano) and Lea (Salonga),” Donnie maintained.

The project is the first collaboration of its kind between Lea and Gary, who recorded the moving song, Heroes, composed by Mr. C. “It took deep concern for our healthcare workers to make this nationwide dream a reality,” Donnie said.

In this time when “goodness and selflessness” are most needed, the TOYM organization realized it must get involved and do something bigger for the medical frontliners.

TOYM is a “very powerful community in a very special, yet non-worldly sense.” The organization, which has been in existence since 1959, decided it must be “a force of good” particularly for healthcare workers of the 114-year Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the largest training hospital in the country administered and operated by the University of the Philippines Manila.

“We are not wealthy when it comes to financial resources,” pointed out Donnie, himself a 2004 TOYM honoree “But we have an abundance of people with immense talent and wisdom, as well as tremendous goodwill and a tremendous sense of patriotism and stewardship towards our country.”

The TOYM community consists of “great musicians,” who are the best and most passionate in their work and about their work. They also have this enormous empathy towards our health workers and are passionate about quality healthcare for all.

The pandemic may be receding, but TOYM realized it still needs to do something to help the medical frontliners of PGH, who offer their lives and services to the neediest citizens of our country, especially in the last 20 months.

TOYM is evidently committed to a higher purpose and a higher cause for PGH doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers. “By helping PGH, we are helping stem the inequality gap and addressing the healthcare needs of ordinary citizens,” Donnie granted.

Mr. C was tapped to compose the music for Heroes, written by filmmaker Jose Javier Reyes, with additional lyrics by Jonathan Manalo. The demo was recorded by Brennan Espartinez and Yosha Honasan. Eventually, Mr. C will encourage direk Joey to write Filipino lyrics for Heroes and encourage more people to sing along.

“We can also ask my Visayan friends to write Visayan lyrics and my Ilocano friends to write Ilocano lyrics, if possible,” said Mr. C. “PGH services not only Metro Manila, but patients from the entire nation.”

One of the TOYM board members, Bobby Barreiro, calls Heroes “a collaboration of artists who are past TOYM awardees.”

Wrapping up the song was not a difficult process for Mr. C. “The lyrics were already there, so it actually gave the structure of the entire song,” he explained. “Right there, in front of me, I could hear it immediately. The first melody that came to me was usually the authentic idea. So, it was very fast and it came easy for me.”

Heroes is dedicated to all the frontliners – 1.5 million all over the country, according to the DOH (Department of Health) – who put their lives on the line daily to alleviate the suffering of Filipinos.

“With or without the pandemic, the frontliners, doctors from the PGH, need to be reminded often about the critical role they play all their lives,” Gary stressed. “When the pandemic hit, all the more.

“I think it’s so important that we make an effort to continuously remind doctors, nurses, even those who take the swabbing, of how thankful we are for what they’ve done and what they continue to do. I wanted to be part of something that will really show appreciation where it’s needed.”

PGH director, Dr. Gerardo “Gap” Legaspi, cannot be thankful enough for the support extended by TOYM and all the artists involved in the Heroes Unmasked project to lend support to the medical frontliners.

According to Dr. Gap, PGH gets around 700,000 patients a year from all over the country, operating in a 10-hectare property in Manila and serving patients in a 1,500-bed facility with more than 4,000 employees.

“I thank God for putting me on the frontline,” asserted Dr. Gap. “By putting me there, he has given me a front seat to see the bravest of the human spirit.”