THE HISTORY OF AKBAY
CHAPTER 1: 1980-1983, THE BEGINNING YEARS
In 1980, our new Pastoral Worker, Jean Llorin (in memory), created a development program for the youth in Sacred Heart Parish. It was called Youth Formation and the objective was to train the youth in leadership and provide spiritual growth.
Many young people from the choirs, the Alagads, the EAP (Educational Aid Program), Quezon City High School, religious organizations and neighboring streets joined.
Group activities included self-awareness exercises, group dynamic sessions, team building, communication process, values formation, prayer meetings, regular recollections and annual retreats.
In appreciation and acknowledgement of their involvement in this program, let us try to remember them all:
Alex Lopez (in memory), Alex Morota, Alicia Lazo Cristobal, Amy Maglunog, Ana Sicam Verdey, Analou Capangpangan Limuaco, Audie Dy, Bong Ibay (in memory), Celeste Briones Maximiano, Chona Sison Ramirez, Ester de Castro, Ferdie Timbang, Fidel Ventura, Heidi Fernandez, Joseph Maximiano, Joy Sto. Domingo Dela Pena, Lolit Piodos, Lyndon Vercudia (in memory), Manny Villarico, Maribel Sabas, Mary de los Santos, Mayette Sobremisana Diamante, Nhel Tria, Norman Marquez, Odette de Castro, Ogie Garcia, Pabs Bernardez, Raffy Ramirez, Raul Manongdo, Ricky Rodriguez, Ronald Nacion, Veron Maglunog, Dante Lardizabal and others.
We will continue to add names of members to this list as we go along. It is nice to remember you all.
CHAPTER 2: 1983-1990, THE TRANSITION YEARS
And so it was that we thought of changing the name Youth Formation to another name, AWITING KRISTIYANO PARA SA SAMBAYANAN or AKBAY, to embody a new identify, a new mandate and a new ministry. While some of our historical "experts", thank you Joy Sto. Domingo and Sonny Morota, are still sorting out dates and who named what, we move on to writing this exciting segment of AKBAY's history.
We had two choirs initially, AKBAY 1, made up of college students and AKBAY 2, made up of high-school students. For the following years, we organized a Children Choir, a Teen Choir, a Youth Choir, a Young Professional Choir, an Adult Choir and a Performing Group. Each group had a Sunday mass time slot, except for the PG.
CHAPTER 3: 1990-1996, THE EXPANSION YEARS
In 1989, the Parish Pastoral Council, under the administration of now parish priest, Fr. Manuel Bongayan, SVD, decreed that all choirs should be under one organization, the Sacred Heart Parish Choir. The long and short of the story is that only AKBAY abided by the policy that meant giving up using our choir name AKBAY. For the next 6 years, during the administration of Fr. John O’ Mahony, SVD, parish priest from 1990 to 1996, AKBAY carried the name SACRED HEART PARISH CHOIR. Those who joined the organization during this period did not probably know and hear of the name AKBAY.
Being the official choir of the parish had many benefits that included facility in recruitment. During this period, SHPC/AKBAY experienced a very rapid and a very high increase in membership in all levels, children, youth and adults. Meanwhile, the Performing Group took on the name, Sacred Heart Singers.
The Sacred Heart Parish Choir/Sacred Heart Singers became the official representative of the parish in external music functions as recitals and concerts. This led to invitations to perform at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Philamlife Theater, the UP Abelardo Theater, Asian Institute for Liturgical Music, Concert at the Park, Luneta Park and Manila Peninsula Hotel. Performances included concerts with the Philippine Madrigal Singers, UP Concert Chorus, UP Singing Ambassadors and the Ateneo Glee Club. The group also sang with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and the Manila Chamber Orchestra. It has been conducted by various conductors like Anna Piquero (UP Madrigal Singers), Eudenice Palaruan (UP Madrigal Singers), Prof. Joel Navarro (UP College of Music/Ateneo Glee Club), Prof. Andrea Veneracion (UP College of Music/ Philippine Madrigal Singers), Prof. Sergio Esmilla (UP College of Music/MCO) and Rugerro Barbieri (PPO).
CHAPTER 4: 1996-2008, THE DISPERSION YEARS
Like all stories, this one had to end, too. So, in 2008, the music of the Sunday mass stopped after 26 years!
CHAPTER 5: 2008-2013, THE SILENT YEARS
Oh, the good things that come from change. Something good must come out of 5 years of absence and hibernation ... zzzzzz
CHAPTER 6: 2013-2015, THE RESURGENT YEARS
CHAPTER 7: 2015-PRESENT, THE INTEGRATION YEARS
September 2017
Fundraising Dinner at Luxent Hotel organized by Lei Acosta
November 2017
Integrating Youth Formation and AKBAY
While we have members who transitioned from YF to AKBAY, we are reconnecting with YF members who were not part of the transition. We have invited YF members to be involved like Chona S. Ramirez, Ana S. Verdey, Mary de los Santos, Celeste B. Maximiano, Joseph Maximiano and Manuel Villarico who facilitated the General Assembly attended by AKBAY members.
Integrating Goals and Ministry
We are unifying the original vision of YF, to provide youth leadership and spiritual growth, and the music ministry of AKBAY.
Integrating members here and abroad
We continue to maintain communication with of all members here and abroad. We inter-link them all through Facebook and our website. We will continue to search for more members and add them to our network..
Integrating past and present members
We keep all past and present members updated with the current times. We seek out past members and get them connected with the current members through the internet.
Integrating various choirs
We have integrated the members of the Ave Maria Choir, who were former children/teen choir members into AKBAY. We also brought in members from the QCHS Chorale.
Integrating the age groups
We have formed different age groups - children, youth and adults - and brought them together in common activities such as the Easter Vigil mass and the Choral/Strings recital.
In 1980, our new Pastoral Worker, Jean Llorin (in memory), created a development program for the youth in Sacred Heart Parish. It was called Youth Formation and the objective was to train the youth in leadership and provide spiritual growth.
Many young people from the choirs, the Alagads, the EAP (Educational Aid Program), Quezon City High School, religious organizations and neighboring streets joined.
Group activities included self-awareness exercises, group dynamic sessions, team building, communication process, values formation, prayer meetings, regular recollections and annual retreats.
In appreciation and acknowledgement of their involvement in this program, let us try to remember them all:
Alex Lopez (in memory), Alex Morota, Alicia Lazo Cristobal, Amy Maglunog, Ana Sicam Verdey, Analou Capangpangan Limuaco, Audie Dy, Bong Ibay (in memory), Celeste Briones Maximiano, Chona Sison Ramirez, Ester de Castro, Ferdie Timbang, Fidel Ventura, Heidi Fernandez, Joseph Maximiano, Joy Sto. Domingo Dela Pena, Lolit Piodos, Lyndon Vercudia (in memory), Manny Villarico, Maribel Sabas, Mary de los Santos, Mayette Sobremisana Diamante, Nhel Tria, Norman Marquez, Odette de Castro, Ogie Garcia, Pabs Bernardez, Raffy Ramirez, Raul Manongdo, Ricky Rodriguez, Ronald Nacion, Veron Maglunog, Dante Lardizabal and others.
We will continue to add names of members to this list as we go along. It is nice to remember you all.
CHAPTER 2: 1983-1990, THE TRANSITION YEARS
One December afternoon in 1982, while practicing for a caroling project to raise funds for our coming annual retreat, Fr. Bong angrily stormed out of the sacristy because there was no choir in the Sunday 6:00 pm mass he just officiated. Seeing us at the lobby and probably wanting to ensure there was going to be a choir come Christmas Day, he instructed us, ordered us, commanded us, to take on the Sunday 6:00 pm mass ... for good.
In one simple unexpected moment, “magical” maybe, the Youth Formation group became a choir!!!
And so it was that we thought of changing the name Youth Formation to another name, AWITING KRISTIYANO PARA SA SAMBAYANAN or AKBAY, to embody a new identify, a new mandate and a new ministry. While some of our historical "experts", thank you Joy Sto. Domingo and Sonny Morota, are still sorting out dates and who named what, we move on to writing this exciting segment of AKBAY's history.
We had two choirs initially, AKBAY 1, made up of college students and AKBAY 2, made up of high-school students. For the following years, we organized a Children Choir, a Teen Choir, a Youth Choir, a Young Professional Choir, an Adult Choir and a Performing Group. Each group had a Sunday mass time slot, except for the PG.
In 1989, the Parish Pastoral Council, under the administration of now parish priest, Fr. Manuel Bongayan, SVD, decreed that all choirs should be under one organization, the Sacred Heart Parish Choir. The long and short of the story is that only AKBAY abided by the policy that meant giving up using our choir name AKBAY. For the next 6 years, during the administration of Fr. John O’ Mahony, SVD, parish priest from 1990 to 1996, AKBAY carried the name SACRED HEART PARISH CHOIR. Those who joined the organization during this period did not probably know and hear of the name AKBAY.
Being the official choir of the parish had many benefits that included facility in recruitment. During this period, SHPC/AKBAY experienced a very rapid and a very high increase in membership in all levels, children, youth and adults. Meanwhile, the Performing Group took on the name, Sacred Heart Singers.
The Sacred Heart Parish Choir/Sacred Heart Singers became the official representative of the parish in external music functions as recitals and concerts. This led to invitations to perform at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Philamlife Theater, the UP Abelardo Theater, Asian Institute for Liturgical Music, Concert at the Park, Luneta Park and Manila Peninsula Hotel. Performances included concerts with the Philippine Madrigal Singers, UP Concert Chorus, UP Singing Ambassadors and the Ateneo Glee Club. The group also sang with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and the Manila Chamber Orchestra. It has been conducted by various conductors like Anna Piquero (UP Madrigal Singers), Eudenice Palaruan (UP Madrigal Singers), Prof. Joel Navarro (UP College of Music/Ateneo Glee Club), Prof. Andrea Veneracion (UP College of Music/ Philippine Madrigal Singers), Prof. Sergio Esmilla (UP College of Music/MCO) and Rugerro Barbieri (PPO).
CHAPTER 4: 1996-2008, THE DISPERSION YEARS
A new leader brings new ways and it was the case with the parish with a new parish priest. With the new administration came changes in the music ministry and things were reverted to the former choir system. With this development, the Sacred Heart Parish Choir got dissolved and the six choirs that were part of it went their own ways. The Children Choir, the Teen Choir, the Youth Choir, the Young Adult Choir, the Adult Choir and the Sacred Heart Singers, each went its own way and took on separate leaders and new identities. While each choir continued to sing in its respective time slot, some members converged at the Sunday 6:00 pm mass, eventually rescheduled to 6:30 pm, still carrying the name Sacred Heart Parish Choir.
There are many individual stories that have to be told about the members during this period. Stories about members leaving the choir, transferring residence, moving abroad, getting married, passing on, changing religions and losing the faith. But the greatest story is that some members remained, made great sacrifices and carried the fire and spirit of AKBAY, although unknowingly, maybe.
CHAPTER 5: 2008-2013, THE SILENT YEARS
And the silence begins ...
But not totally because there was singing during birthdays, there was singing during weddings, there was singing during outings, there was singing during Christmas parties and there was singing for departed ones. The Marias and the Joses of the choir were still present singing, and oh, the “chubbies”, they were still around. Some of them were moms and dads now, titas and titos they were called. But definitely there was still music outside the church, there was still singing outside the Sunday mass.
Social networking and technology worked together to keep some members connected, “linked’ as the infotech jargon called it. Facebook must have saved the day for the group during this time.
CHAPTER 6: 2013-2015, THE RESURGENT YEARS
Sleep repairs, rest regenerates, taking it easy revitalizes…
For some, singing is in their skin. If they cannot sing, they watch the singing. Watching a performance is a good way to compensate. For a brief moment of imagination, the watcher becomes the performer one more time. As the words in the song Memory in the musicale Cats go:
"I can smile at the old days
I was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again"
"I can smile at the old days
I was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again"
One evening after watching the Philippine Madrigal Singers, something tugged their innards, some voice called them out and some whiff of breeze led their way. Unable to control the magic, love heeded the voice, longing gave in to the calling and one day they were back in the ministry they truly loved to the gut. As the saying goes, one cannot put a good person down... so too, one cannot put a good choir down.
And so they accepted a mass slot at the National Book Store. Maybe the church was still a daunting, if not a haunting, challenge. Not totally ready yet, a bookstore chapel will do for a start. And start they did, initially, once a month, then twice a month ... wait, something is happening here, something is “a-brewin'”!
The giant has awakened !!!
The giant has awakened !!!
CHAPTER 7: 2015-PRESENT, THE INTEGRATION YEARS
January 2015
· Meeting to plan the Grand Reunion for December attended by Alice, Loy, Claribel, Merty, Jojo V.
· Meeting with AKBAY 1 members attended by Ronald, Sonny, Erwin, Ferdie, Analou.
· Meeting with AKBAY 2 members attended by by Jazmin, Alice, Ed
May 2015
· Meeting at K-3rd with Maan, Joy, Jaz, Alice, Ayel (Maan's daughter)
· Meeting with Teen Choir attended by Paolo, Rhine, Ria, Pinky
June 2015
· Registration of Youth Choir (YC) members
· First practice of the YC at the Bible room
August 2015
· YC Team Building with Reina A. Galigo
October 2015
· YC recital at the Janssen Hall directed by Regie Untalan
· Loy Del Rosario accepts position as Overall Coordinator
· First Saturday Salu-salo
November 2015
· Induction of Officers organized by Ria Morales
December 2015
· Simbang Gabi mass, December 24, 4:00 am
· Grand Reunion at Max’s Restaurant organized by Alice, Loy, Claribel, others
January 2016
· First YC practice for the year at the Rooftop
· Jojo Galigo elected Overall Coordinator.
February 2016
· Youth Art Camp with Reina A. Galigo
· Practice with Michelle C. Antiqueno
· AC practice at Jec’s residence
March 2016
· Holy Thursday Morning Prayers
April 2016
· Music Library set up by Penny Angeles
Officers meeting at Room 6
May 2016
· First practice of CC with Larian Villamarin
· First practice of YC with Osan I. Turingan
· First practice of AC with Kristian Abesamis for December Concert
· Website created by Penny Angeles
August 2016
· Mass with Ave Maria
· Fr. Jerome grants the Sunday 5:30 pm mass to AKBAY and Ave Maria
September 2016
· Jaz accepts position as Overall Coordinator
· Enshrinement mass
October 2016
· Children Choir sings in mass at Christ the King
· QCHS Chorale practice with Kevin Gomez
November 2016
· YC Halloween Party at the Angeles residence
· General Assembly at the Janssen Hall facilitated by the Formation Committee: Chona, Ana, Mary, Celeste, Joseph, Manny
December 2016
· Mark Abesia becomes the choir trainer of the YC
January 2017
· Christmas Party at the rooftop
February 2017
· QCHS Chorale practice with Mark Abesia
April 2017
· Grand Choir at Easter Vigil Mass at SHP
· Children Choir at Easter Vigil Mass at CTK
· Choral and Strings Summer Workshop
· Youth Leadership Training with Ferdie Timbang
May 2017
· Adult Gathering with Fr. Arlo Yap, SVD
· Summer Sports
June 2017
· Choral and Strings Recital at the SHP Shrine Church
· First CC mass at SHP
July 2017
· Fundraising Dinner at Gourmet Gypsy organized by Lei Acosta
· Induction of YC Officers
Photo & Video Library set up by Princess L. FulgarSeptember 2017
Fundraising Dinner at Luxent Hotel organized by Lei Acosta
November 2017
Movie Screening organized by Lei Acosta
"The Justice League"
"The Justice League"
Trinoma Mall Cinema
December 2017
- Visual Theater Club Training
- Visual Theater Club Training
Directed by Mr. Noel Balmaceda
- Christmas Party
Rembrandt Hotel
Organized by Jazmin Sison
Integrating Youth Formation and AKBAY
While we have members who transitioned from YF to AKBAY, we are reconnecting with YF members who were not part of the transition. We have invited YF members to be involved like Chona S. Ramirez, Ana S. Verdey, Mary de los Santos, Celeste B. Maximiano, Joseph Maximiano and Manuel Villarico who facilitated the General Assembly attended by AKBAY members.
Integrating Goals and Ministry
We are unifying the original vision of YF, to provide youth leadership and spiritual growth, and the music ministry of AKBAY.
Integrating members here and abroad
We continue to maintain communication with of all members here and abroad. We inter-link them all through Facebook and our website. We will continue to search for more members and add them to our network..
Integrating past and present members
We keep all past and present members updated with the current times. We seek out past members and get them connected with the current members through the internet.
Integrating various choirs
We have integrated the members of the Ave Maria Choir, who were former children/teen choir members into AKBAY. We also brought in members from the QCHS Chorale.
Integrating the age groups
We have formed different age groups - children, youth and adults - and brought them together in common activities such as the Easter Vigil mass and the Choral/Strings recital.
I
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