Tawag ng Tanghalan singer John Mark Saga joins benefit concert for Pinoy seafarers in June

Rhea Manila Santos

Push Team

<p>It was almost six years ago in the third season of Tawag ng Tanghalan when John Mark Saga first made his mark in the entertainment inustry. He placed runner up to Elaine Duran and was given a standing ovation. Throughout the whole competition, the talented singer and songwriter said he missed his father, who was onboard a ship as a seafarer throughout his TnT journey. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-8" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DKIHeAqyxVl/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=630&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A8%2C%22os%22%3A4581001.3999999985%2C%22ls%22%3A261699.5%2C%22le%22%3A261704.3999999985%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="850" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-8" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>“I think wala siya .Once lang siya nakapanuod ever nung season three ng Tawag ng Tanghalan. And then kinabukasan nun, he had to go back and sasakay na ulit siya sa barko. Yung support niya, hindi siya masyadong nag-ko-comment sa pagsali ko but he made sure na I felt supported from the start,” he told <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>PUSH ABS-CBN</strong></a> in an exclusive interview during the Alon concert presscon held earlier this month in Quezon City. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-9" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DHx0zRMhp68/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=630&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A9%2C%22os%22%3A4581025.799999997%2C%22ls%22%3A261699.5%2C%22le%22%3A261704.3999999985%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="962" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-9" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>John Mark is one of the guest performers in the one-night only event, which is staged for the benefit of Filipino seafarers and their families. He will take the stage alongside headliner indie folk-pop band Ben&amp;Ben.</p><div><br/></div><p>“Ininvite ako mga two months ago. Since I live sa Seaman’s village and the organizers also lived around the area din so they contacted my family and asked me to be part of this event. Yung unang unang sinabi nila is this is really for the seafarers so hindi siya naging mahirap na thought and really wanted to say yes kasi I believe din sa advocacies nila. And siyempre, as a child of a seafarer, important din to honor my father through this event,” he shared. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-10" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtJaKkRSOnZ/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=630&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A10%2C%22os%22%3A4581037.8999999985%2C%22ls%22%3A261699.5%2C%22le%22%3A261704.3999999985%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="674" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-10" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/09/28/19/tawag-finals-john-mark-saga-receives-standing-ovation-from-judges" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: &#x27;Tawag&#x27; finals: John Mark Saga receives standing ovation from judges</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>During the Alon concert presscon, John Mark also recalled his experience growing up as a son of a seafarer and how happy he was to have found a community who shares the same challenges that his family went through.</p><div><br/></div><p>“Before pa ako mapanganak marino na siya so I think mga 40 years na rin siya nasa barko. I think mga teens na rin ako nun. Hindi pa rin ako sanay na umaalis siya. And before nagkaroon ng internet, may mga days pa rin na hindi namn siya na-ko-contact. So yung mga ganung klaseng experience, I never thought na universal siya. Like I though yung mga ganung experiences ay sa amin lang. And when I heard the stories ng iba, it made sense na hindi pala siya yung thing na ako lang yung mag-po-process. So hearing yung stories made me feel like hindi lang kami yung nakakaranas,” he said. </p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/2019/10/3/fresh-scoops/john-mark-saga-explains-why-he-wore-a-gown-during-39845" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: John Mark Saga explains why he wore a gown during TNT grand finals</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>The former Tawag ng Tanghalan contestant also credits his father for his deep appreciation for music while growing up.</p><div><br/></div><p>“May mga times din pag andito siya, siya yung critic ko rin so pag may mga performances ako, minsan siya yung nagbibigay ng feedback. And I think yiung musicality ko as an artst, majority din nun ay galing sa kanya kasi lagi siyang nakikinig ng music, siya din yung nag-introduce sa akin yung mga iba ibang artist sa kanya ko na-di-discover. I think yun yung na-mi-miss ko din sa kanya sa mga times na nasa barko siya. Yung papa ko yung nag-introduce sa akin sa musical icons like Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson. Yun yung lagi kong naaalala sa kanya nung bata pa ako. Lagi siyang nakikinig ng music. I think dun nanggaling din yung love ko sa music and I think that’s why I became an artist today, because of him,” he admitted. </p><div><br/></div><p>The Alon Concert: A Benefit Concert for Filipino Seafarers is on June 28, Saturday in celebration of Filipino Seafarers month and will be held at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, in Malate, Manila. Produced by OrangeSkies Production. Tickets are now available online through //ticket2me.net/ALONConcert.</p>

<p>Singer and songwriter John Mark Saga shares his experience growing up with a seafarer father.</p>

Singer and songwriter John Mark Saga shares his experience growing up with a seafarer father.