Wowowin honors Marawi heroes

Hindi bala, hindi bomba

Sa Marawi ang sagot

Ang iisang dugo ay galit ang bumabalot

Mga walang kamuwang-muwang

Kayakap ay luha at takot

Mga maling adhikain ay di tamang sagot

Marawi sabay-sabay nating ibabangon

Buong pagmamahal tayo ay aahon

Marawi darating din ang isang dapit-hapon

Sisikat ang araw sa isang bagong ngayon

In today’s and tomorrow’s editions of Wowowin, host-producer Willie Revillame will honor 800 soldiers, all of them heroes, who fought against terrorists in Marawi City that was reduced to a wasteland, a heart-rending panorama of desolation and destruction when the last gun was fired and the thick smoke gradually cleared.

Excerpted above are the first two parts of Awit Sa Marawi, composed by Vehnee Saturno and sung by Esang de Torres in the music video with a pained longing for a beautiful city that might take decades to rise again, reminiscent of Hiroshima after it was erased from the map by an H-bomb. Hiroshima mon amor, as the title of a film put it, should resonate today as Marawi mon amor.                      

As one of the guest singers, Esang will sing Awit sa Marawi in Wowowin. Her voice is so crispy with raw emotion that it can melt even the stone-hearted. I dare you not to cry when you listen to her.

“The two episodes serve as my tribute not only to the 800 gallant soldiers who fought a good fight but also to their comrades who died with their boots on,” Willie told Funfare. “You will see them on the show, their faces still showing signs of the brutal war.”

As in the family dramas that unfold among the show’s contestants, the soldiers will recall their experience in Marawi.

“Everything is unscripted,” noted Willie. “They will tell it the way it happened.”

Also appearing as special guest is AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Año.                                                      

Willie will raffle off three houses and lots donated by former Sen. Manny Villar and his wife Sen. Cynthia Villar, plus more than P3 million cash and more.

“It’s my humble way of honoring them and acknowledging their great service to our country. Ito ang aking pagpapahalaga sa kanilang pakikipaglaban para sa kapayapaan,” said Willie.      

The Awit sa Marawi music video opens with a troop of soldiers battling rebels off camera with rapid gunfire heating up the soundtrack that reverberates with the distant screams of the wounded. And then Esang starts singing as the last scream dies down and the battle scene dissolves into nothingness.

“Naiyak ako noong una kong narinig ‘yung song, so I made sure that Esang sings it on my show,” confessed Willie who also invited Rico J. Puno (who will sing his inspiring song May Bukas Pa) and Dessa.

As a bonus, Willie will sing a new Vehnee Saturno composition titled Puso Para sa Bayan which is the hashtag for the two episodes.

“It’s the first time I am singing that song and I am dedicating it to Gen. Año and the 800 soldiers,” said Willie. “At para na rin sa lahat ng Filipino na nagmamahal at may malasakit sa ating bayan.”

Puso Para sa Bayan is as emotionally-charged as Awit sa Marawi. Neither Willie nor Vehnee would preempt the airing of the song and they’d rather let the Wowowin viewers hear it first on the show.

About Awit sa Marawi...  

Esang de Torres is the singer of the heart-tugging song Awit sa Marawi composed by Vehnee Saturno (right)

“Of course, I wrote that song because of the war,” explained Vehnee. “Pag may giyera, lahat tayo talo. Why are there wars? Maraming rason: because of selfish principles na pilit ipaglalaban kahit may mga taong hindi dapat madamay; business and politics; and religion...there’s only one God but people have different beliefs.”                                                        

The choice of Esang (barely out of her teens) as singer is perfect because, as we can see in the newscasts, children are among the victims (the collateral casualties) not only of the war in Marawi but in any other war, their innocence shattered forever along with their future.                                  

“Esang is a good singer,” added Vehnee, “and she conveys the right message with all her heart. I explained to her the meaning of the song... pang-unawa at pagmamahal sa kapwa...and she delivers it very well.”        

As clincher, here are the last two parts of the song:                                                                          

Kristiyano at Muslim di ba tayo ay iisa                    

Nilalang tayo ni Allah na iisang Ama                        

Kung bubuksan ang puso ng bawat isa                

Sa mundo ay maghahari ang ngiti’t saya              

Hindi kulay ang kailangan upang magkaisa        

Pula, puti, asul, dilaw tayo ay iisa                          

Ang pag-ibig isa-puso, ‘yan ang mahalaga        

Ikaw, ako, sila tayo ay magsama-sama.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)