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Music in social movements: Inang Laya looks back on Martial Law days

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ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1456659" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure>From the hymns of the Philippine Revolution to the songs evoking memories of the People Power Revolution, music has been part of Philippine history, capturing a moment in time and the sentiment of the public.Singing duo Inang Laya believes that more than the speeches delivered during the People Power Revolution, music has become a vivid part of the memory of those who joined the historic protest.Becky Demetillo-Abraham recalled how she did not initially plan to sing in the streets and just suddenly made the decision to do so after years of being a folk singer.“I just decided one night to walk out of the folk house and I contacted Karina the following day ‘I’m ready. I want to sing in the streets,” she said on ANC’s “Talkback.”“Personally, I made the decision that I liked to sing these songs, I was a country and western singer for the longest time, folk singer,” she added.Karina Constantino-David, the other half of the duo, said writing songs at first was easy such as when she composed the song “Sana&#x27;y Mayaman,” which she said was dedicated to her children.“That was easy because it just flowed,” she said, noting that composing songs become harder when you write about physical pains and negative emotions.“But if you’re talking about a very serious, frightening, threatening incident like getting tear-gassed,[it’s different],” she added.Nowadays, Abraham said she thinks she is no longer attuned to the songs of the younger generation because it seems that protest songs are no longer as popular.The two, however, emphasized that despite this, love for the country still remains a timely theme for songs.David cites their song “Atsay ng Mundo” which deals with domestic helpers, as one of those songs that remain relevant.“When that song was written many, many years ago, there weren’t as many as today. It was the sending of domestic workers that started during the time of Marcos and lumaki nang lumaki,” she said.Today, looking back, the duo said they have no regrets putting the country first even before their own families.&quot;I really felt strongly being a voice to open the minds of the people and I think we succeeded,&quot; Abraham said. &quot;I think hindi naman nasayang ang oras namin.&quot;Some of the songs popularized by Inang Laya are Babae, Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa, Kasama Sa Kalsada and Sana&#x27;y Mayaman.

From the hymns of the Philippine Revolution to the songs evoking memories of the People Power Revolution, music has been part of Philippine history, capturing a moment in time and the sentiment of the public.

From the hymns of the Philippine Revolution to the songs evoking memories of the People Power Revolution, music has been part of Philippine history, capturing a moment in time and the sentiment of the public.