Pinoy band in UAE dedicates song to Filipino health workers

A Filipino band in the United Arab Emirates has dedicated a song for the frontliners in the battle against the coronavirus disease in the Philippines.

“The song was not intended for the COVID-19 events. Para ito sa lahat ng mga Pilipino na nagpapamalas ng tapang at talino para sa bayan,” shared vocalist Rosette John Balanay of Up The Ante (UTA) in an interview via Messenger in April 7.

Entitled Iisa Tayo, the "self-produced" song of the UTA was originally commissioned for the celebration of the Philippine Independence Day in the Muslim country.

“Last year, sinabihan kami ni Mr. Jason Roi Bucton na magsulat ng kanta para sa darating na ‘Kalayaan 2020’ this coming June,” he narrated, referring to the community leader and organizer of the upcoming event.

“But since hindi kami makalabas-labas and hindi rin yata matutuloy ang ‘Kalayaan 2020’ this coming June dahil sa lockdown nga, we decided to try to uplift the hearts of our people and show how proud we are of them,” Balanay added.

“Iisa Tayo” was then meant to call for unity in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Wala kaming ginamit na other medium para maipakita sa mga tao kung gaano kami ka-proud sa mga kapwa naming Pilipino. Sinabi ko nga sa mga ka-banda ko na kahit hindi kami sisikat, basta lng makabuo kami ng mga sarili naming kanta na hindi kinuha sa iba. Bahala na si Batman kung gustuhin ng taumbayan ang mga kanta namin o hindi.”

Three years ago, the UAE-based Filipino band penned a song to commemorate the courage and bravery of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) members who were killed during an anti-terror operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. 

It has also done so for its bandmate who died in a longboarding accident on December 20, 2015  through the song “So Long.”

As of April 8, the Department of Health reported 3,764 COVID-19 cases; 177 deaths; and 84 recoveries.

Meanwhile, there were 517 COVID-19 cases involving overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) all over the world. —LBG, GMA News