My 30 Seconds of “Fame”
Two of my company’s most senior executives were in Tokyo for business meetings. This coincided with President Arroyo’s state visit focusing on the arrangements for the JPEPA.
Friday was so hectic. We were rushing from one meeting to another. And by the end of the day, a big celebration was scheduled in observance of Philippine Independence Day and the Migrant Workers’ Day. PGMA was the guest of honor.
The entire presidential entourage was in the hall – congressmen, senators, cabinet members, press people and chuwariwariwaps. Most of the Filipino invitees were in their regal Filipiniana.
PGMA addressed the very excited and supportive crowd and conferred awards to some Filipino achievers and Japanese supporters.
Then the finale.
It was a medley of Filipino nationalistic songs by professional singers in Japan (one was a former Bagong Kampeon Grand Champion, another was a champion in a Japan-wide singing contest).
One odd inclusion was an upstart singer, who should have known better to just stay as a banker-lawyer. But he had no choice as it was the Labor Attache’s personal order. So he hesitantly joined and did try to simply blend with the powerhouse cast. Unfortunately, he seemed to have brought in the most number of “pala”. So when it was his turn to do a solo, he received a remarkably loud applause that even the President noticed. The Secretary of Labor informed her that the one singing was the representative of a government bank to Tokyo. She looked at the Bank’s President who was in the crowd and waived at her.
At the end of the song, the singers went up the stage and brought the VIPs forward. People swear the President was teary-eyed (that was one of the most welcoming crowds during her recent overseas trips, some claimed).
After the last dramatic note, the President congratulated the singers. When it was the upstart’s turn, she asked “Ikaw ba yung sa ****Bank? “. “Yes Ma’am”, he meekly answered. “Ang galing mo ah!”. Then Senator Angara butted in, “Di ka lang pala bankero, singer pa!”.
That folks was the Islander’s 30 seconds of fame. 
Tags: Filipinos, Islander's Notes, Music
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Comments (45)
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naman. ibang level. presidente ang humahanga.
pede ko na ilagay sa resume ko. kaibigan ko yang nagpahang sa presidente lol
Dado! heheheh
panalo! singer! hahaha! congrats po!
Wow! Galing!
hehe
Nag text nga pala sa akin si Oprah. Hinihingi contact details mo, ibibigay ko ba? Papasikatin ka rin daw nya like Charice
Wala bang YouTube link?
Haha. Natawa ako sa comment ni Rico. Pati ata si Ellen Degeneres gusto kang i-guest. LOLz
Congrats. Parinig naman dyan!
ok yung comment ni rico..pwede ngang mangyari at makasulat narin kay oprah….bigatin parekoy…pang talent portion ang dating…bibihira ang magkaron ng ganyang pagkakataon.taas ang kamay ko pards!
fjordan: hehehe. feeling lang.
rico: uy, pakisabi ke oprah, shy ako. next time na lang. hehehehe
gasdude: solb na ko dito sa tokyo. ayoko na sumikat pa heheheheh
ever: ako rin taas kamay. ayoko na umulit heheheh
naman, di na maabot, tone-deaf president na ang humahanga. joke, haha! aber, pagbalik mo dito at nang makapag-videoke tayo!
gibo: he he. alam ko di ako papasa sa taste mo no. masyado kang class. kanta na lang tayo ng sarung banggi. alay natin ke Ate Glo at nang mapilitan nang lumayas hehehehe
huwaw, ayus ah! oo nga, wala bang vid niyan sa youtube? sample naman dyan o!
Pa shake hands, Attorney! By the way, my name is Mariale
isang malaking sh*t! Hahaha! Astig di ka na maabot! Ibang level ka na talaga! Burger naman dyan! Lol
carlotta: walang vid. scandal daw kasi hekhekhek
Mariale: autograph, ayaw mo? bweheheh
coldman: wala eh. mukhang susundan ko na ang yapak mo sa pagiging celebrity. ayayay!
sabi na nga ba totoo ang chismis na mahilig sa mga weird music si PGMA eh. :p JOKE LANG!!!
attorney.. hindi lang lawyer at bankero, songer pa! pa-kiss nga!
aajao: he he. agree ako dun. totoo nga tsismis. o sige na nga, kiss na. pero sabayhug, heheheh
clap clap clap
Amfufu! Di pa kita naririnig kumanta. Waaaah. Karaoke!
akalain mo.. humanga si PGMA.. pahawak nga ng kamay sa susunod nating pagtatagpo.. ehehehe congrats!! sabi na pwede kang dva.. este divo pala… ~i'll never gonna dance again…
ang husay naman… kakamayan nga kita pag nagkita tayo.. sikat ka na ha.. hehehehehe ~i'll never gonna dance again!
wow! kumakanta ka rin pala! a man of many, many talents
congrats! 
Bakit 30 seconds lang? Ano bang kinanta mo, bahaykubo? : )
Kaya pala masigabong ang palakpakan nag dala ka pala ng "hakot crowd" eh. : D
Pero napahanga mo si GMA, dyan ako bilib sayo, attorney. Mag pa-berger ka!
Angas! matinding praktis ito sa Takenotsuka karaoke XD
hahahaha. and look, tita glo is smiling sweetly at you pa.
hahahahahahahaha ayos! kaya pala nagtatago. under presidential protection na dahil na siyang pambansang artista ng lahi =]
sana may youtube link!
otograp!
Wow. Di na maabot and kasikatan mo panyero. Talagang all-smile si PGMA sa last pic ng kumakanta ka. Sana may video o kahit audio man lang hehehe. Galing Talaga!!!
meemax: wag mo na asahan. madi-disappoint ka lang. hehe
potsquared: i'll never gonna sing again!
turismoboi, tami: tenx! ilusyonadong singer lang.
blogusvox: 30 seconds lang dahil ni rap ko ang atin cu pung singsing, hahahah
scion: tara, balik tayo doon!
acey: natawa nga ako nung makita ko yung pic. enjoy talaga ang ate. heheh
ian: di po ako nagtatago. nagpapahinga lang dahil me world tour ako next week. bweheheh
lawstude: pinipilit talaga namin i-upload. ayaw talaga. scandal daw kasi.
@r-yo:salamat sa pagbisita pare. wow, songer k pala.congrats sa exposure!do u mind if I add u on my blogroll?
hayyy heto na naman ako…nagpipigil mag komento sa huling larawan mo kasama ang Pangulo at unang ginoo. .pero .. hahhaha.. maliwanag kasi na magkaiba ang nasa isip ng dalawa habang pinanonood at pinakikinggan ang awitin mo.ikaw naman kahit natakpan pa ang mga mata, kita sa paghawak sa mikropono at taas noo sa pag awit na wala kang alintana kung sino man ang nasa tabi mong nakikinig. makikita sa larawan na isa kang propesyunal na mang aawit at kung hindi man, isa kang tunay na alagad ng sining sa pagkanta dahil ang isip mo at damdamin ay nasa iyong inaawit at hindi sa kung sino ang nanonood pa. Binabati kita kaibigan. napaka talented mo talaga. ano pa ba ang hindi mo nagagawa..idol talaga…
mula sa iyong tagahanga na taga Cavite
hi. bagong blog reader. dapat may video ka dito na kumakanta ka soon!
Waa! Pa-autograph!!
Congratulations! Sample naman diyan!
You must be a damn good singer to leave such an impression on the President. Awesome!
hahaha… galing ah! congratulations! galing mo pala kumanta kasi hindi ka naman pakakantahin dun kung talagang pang videoke lang boses mo. clap clap clap.
A salute to you sir! Hehehe!