Bayanihan at the Esplanade

MANILA, Philippines – In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Singapore, the Community Chest of Singapore and the Philippine Bayanihan Society (Singapore) presented a concert featuring Bayanihan Dance Company.

The concert not only showcased the close ties between Singapore and the Philippines but also helped raised funds for charitable programs of the event’s organizers.

The Community Chest of Singapore raises funds for Singapore’s social service organizations, helping support 155 programs for the elderly, persons with disabilities, and public education outreach program run by 69 charities that serve 340,000 individuals.

The Philippine Bayanihan Society (Singapore) renders policy initiatives and manages the operations, programs and activities of the Bayanihan Center. Its principal objectives include upgrading of the skills of Filipino workers and enhancing socio-cultural ties between Filipinos and Singaporeans. The Bayanihan Center serves as a venue for Filipinos in Singapore to learn short-term courses on computer literacy, basic English, cooking and baking arts and crafts, cosmetology, dressmaking and even martial arts. It also conducts classes on nursing aide and bookkeeping, seminars and other community events that allow the Filipino community in Singapore to interact among themselves.

The concert repertoire included: “Traditions Renewed,” dances depicting ancient rituals and traditions in the highlands of Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago; “Cordillera” featured dances that celebrate feasts, rituals and thanksgiving in the Cordillera Mountains; a suite of songs, music and dances that showed the Spanish influence on Filipino culture was the theme of “Intramuros of Memory”; “Mindanao Mosaic“ showed Arabian and Indo-Malayan influences in music, dance and costumes blending with Muslim Filipino culture; and the suite “People Under the Sun” depicted the friendly, sunny nature of Filipinos in the countryside.

Bayanihan’s concert for a cause was held at the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore with no less than His Excellency President S. R. Nathan and Mrs. Nathan as guests of honor.