“Harana para kay Paraluman” Pagdiriwang ng Buwan ng Wikang Filipino 2021

The pandemic has somehow robbed us of the ability to easily create moments within a reaching distance, the kind which makes you laugh in endearment, a touch which seems to ease the ache of yesterday’s fears, and perhaps the simple feeling it ignites through our very being of how the day was not as bad as it had begun to be. That hope somehow came in the shape of merely existing in the present moment of being together. The month of August is coming to an end and to provide some semblance of normalcy or a sense of relief through means of virtual setting, Asia Pacific Colleges’ two prestigious clubs decided to join forces in creating a live program named “Harana para kay Paraluman” under the theme of “Filipino at mga Katutubong Wika sa Dekolonisasyon ng Pag-iisip ng mga Pilipino” which will be held on August 30, 2021, at 3:00 PM on APC Band’s Facebook page. 

As the initial attraction to this cause was only casually mentioned by one of the members during their daily meetings, the main idea was to collaborate with APC Strings to form a commemorative event that is aligned with the theme of Buwan ng Wika. But the catch is that it was also born out of passion in wanting to show their support as well as recreate their love for OPM bands.

One of the many challenges the organizations had to face in regards to the month’s theme (Filipino at mga Katutubong Wika sa Dekolonisasyon ng Pag-iisip ng mga Pilipino) was their desire to “break the stigma” we often come to associate with local Filipino bands. The event aims to show the simple, raw, and unfiltered beauty of our native language, which can also stand to be at par with any Western song without shame.  If you’re still having doubts about coming to this event, perhaps its behind-the-scenes stories from APC Band’s James Heramil might just convince you enough to say a big yes to the experience.

You’re probably wondering about the peculiar yet eye-catching name of the event. After all, Harana para kay Paraluman is a set of words we’re not particularly used to hearing. James explains rather enthusiastically that this name provides a sense of “kilig” or “pag-suyo” which are bound to make us, the audience as the muses, swoon from the music. Just as the act of harana is done out of love and admiration, this event will surely make our hearts flutter.

“I’m a huge fan of the famous Filipino Musical “Ang Huling El Bimbo”, and the influence the creators had for the musical were the famous 90’s songs from the iconic OPM Band E-Heads. They referred to their muse in the song as “Paraluman” which at the time caught my attention. Not only because the song was great and catchy but also because the story and character of the muse stuck with me; it was also actually the first and only time I heard of the name. Afterwards, we also thought of the word “Harana”, and it perfectly encapsulates the theme of our event and our selected songs which were all “Kundiman” songs. These were songs made for serenading muses during courtship. We brought the two together and finally came up with the title of our event”.

American poet and educator, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote, “Music is the universal language of mankind.”  To which it is indeed true. The best way to communicate as well as breaking language barriers is to humbly settle yourself down and try to listen without judgment. You’ll often be surprised at how many people relate to how you’re feeling, and you’ll come to realize that you’re not alone in this big, scary, yet beautiful world we live in. Though it is easier said than done, James kindly shared his thoughts on why their organization does what it does and continues to provide the beauty of their music to the APC community.

“I believe that music brings all of us together, and by supporting organizations like APC Band and Strings, this will be helping the multiple artists of these organizations. They will be more motivated and confident of the work they put out for their audience to appreciate. It’s a ‘give and take’ relationship, honestly. We give you art and entertainment and at the end of the day, all we’re trying to do is share a bit of positivity in a time and environment that’s filled with so much negativity.”

Hosting and attending live events is nothing new, but having a commemorative collaboration with APC Band and APC Strings is something we’ve yet to experience! There will be moments where you’ll find yourself being simultaneously excited and scared at the prospect of working together with a new set of people, just as the APC Band and APC Strings had experienced in preparation for this event. But genuine passion and sincerity have not failed anyone yet and certainly not these two powerhouse orgs. James described how versatile they are with music. They try not to be confined into just one genre as it can quickly lose the audience’s interest.

“I think people should know that APC Band isn’t only an organization that only plays rock covers and events. We’re really versatile in terms of genre and style. Not every member is a carbon copy of one another; we have our similarities and differences but that doesn’t stop us from getting together to give our audience a good time. We have a lot to give and all we need is someone to give it to, which is why I hope you guys can give us a chance and check out our upcoming events!”

James Heramil is the new president for APC Band and the first to hold an event such as this amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Though with less experience in organizing events of this magnitude before everything went virtual, he watched and learned how being in the center of responsibilities is a crucial role to uphold. And with this particular one being a collaboration of two orgs, there are surely more people who will rely on the heads for guidance on the road to  their success. The execution for Harana para kay Paraluman is not for the faint of heart but rather for those who are brave enough to strive and deliver outstanding results. They took the initiative to collaborate from the early stages of production and they powered through with passionate team effort.

But this won’t be the last time you’ll hear from this org! James shares that there is much more to look forward to this new term of A.Y. 2021-2022:

“We have a lot in store for our audience this term. Aside from ‘Harana para kay Paraluman’, we will also be releasing new covers and originals from our artists on our official Facebook page around September. We also have a lot planned for October but as of now were in talks for 3 major events, so we’re really going to be busy that month. I hope you guys will stay tuned for those as well!”

Come watch APC Band and APC Strings kick off this year’s Buwan ng Wika with “Harana para kay Paraluman”, the very first collaborative event of the two APC organizations this 2021! Stay tuned for the virtual event to be hosted live on APC Band’s official Facebook page on August 30, 2021 at 3PM. Live a little, get comfortable, and let the band and strings serenade you for the day. We’re hoping to see you there!