Uso pa ba ang Harana? DWBR’s “Harana ng Puso”
In their hit single “Harana,” local band Parokya ni Edgar said it best in the first line, “uso pa ba ang harana?”. Indeed, with today’s airwaves saturated with foreign music from emo to rap, rock to hip-hop, RNB to soul, has the local music scene nothing to offer but novelty songs and rip offs of some obscure foreign songs from the past, save for the occasional good song or two that come as rarely as miracles in this country in desperate need of a single blessing?
Thankfully there’s Michael M. Coroza and the Mabuhay Singers to revive the moribund, if not already extinct tradition of singing the kundiman (defined by the CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Arts as the “Philippines’s signature love song”) in different dialects through their program “Harana ng Puso” aired on Sundays, 8-9 pm on DWBR 104.3 FM.
Coroza needs no further introduction: he has won accolades for his poetry, and is currently teaching Filipino courses here in the Ateneo. Among his varied interests include translation, creative writing, literary criticism, and of course, kundiman. Not one to rest on his laurels, he has found time to host the program, in cooperation with Jeanette Job Coroza as executive producer and broadcast engineer Ditas Hermano, in addition to his involvements in various academic and cultural organizations. “Harana ng Puso” is a testament to his cause in preserving Filipino songs of yore from fading into obscurity.
As for the Mabuhay Singers, they have been around since 1958, when Manuel P. Villar, Sr. formed the group to record traditional, classic and other native Filipino songs. From 1958 to 1978, they have come up with 300 long playing albums, most of which are currently available on CD’s courtesy of Aquarius Records and Alpha Records.
The show is a welcome breather from the repertoire of so-called hits played by radio stations today. You can compare it to the “hit” TV show (relatively speaking, of course) airing on an obscure UHF channel, hosted by an alumnus of Kuya Germs’ “That’s Entertainment”; it is considered by some as the alternative viewing to today’s fad of fantaseryes and Koreanovelas. Like the TV show, “Harana” might seem “baduy” or “old school” for today’s “modern” and “discriminating” taste, but it will be too late before you come to that assessment; it grows on you that you’re hooked before you even know it.
Their initial broadcast last February 5, 2006 is a clear indication that classic (it is a much appropriate term than “old”) Filipino music is no longer limited to the AM band. It was a risk on Coroza and company’s part to venture into the twilight zone known as the FM band, populated by controversial pop princesses and flamboyant rock star idols, licentious hip-hop gangstas and boy bands that have nothing to offer but their looks, considering that the materials they play on air are anything but contemporary and appealing to today’s mostly young listeners. And yet the show is surely gaining a following, as evidenced by the growing number of “texters” or listeners Coroza greets on-air since their first broadcast; the show’s growing fan base more than makes up for its lack of sponsors.
In addition to the growing number of fans, several guests of note have graced the show on different occasions: in its second offering last February 12, Ruth Elynia Mabanglo, one of the top Filipina writers around, recited her signature poem “Kung Ibig mo akong Makilala,” while on February 19, Stella Cristobal-Arenas, a young soprano and the daughter of respected writer Adrian Cristobal, sang Jose Estella’s “Maya” and Nicanor Abelardo’s “Mutya ng Pasig.”
For the indefatigable Mabuhay Singers (currently comprised of renowned members such as Cely Bautista, Carmen Camacho, Raye Lucero, Peping de Leon, Eddie Suarez and Marlon Marifosque), “Harana ng Puso” is a testament to their longevity; they have successfully crossed over from the age of the LP’s to today’s world of CD’s and iPod’s. Like the songs they perform, the Singers defy age not only with their talent, but also with their wit, candor and quick banter. Today’s singers and songwriters definitely have a lot of things to learn from their predecessors.
In addition, what makes the show interesting are the background information on the songs as provided by Coroza before or after the Singers’ performance. He also maintains a good rapport with the Singers (whom he fondly refers to using endearing terms such as “Mommy” and “Ka”) that the program should be required listening to today’s Joe’s, Rico Mambo’s, Chico’s and Delamar’s.
Overall, “Harana ng Puso” is definitely worth listening to. We should all heed a paraphrase of Coroza’s standard program opener, “Buksan ang radyo at nang di masiphayo, yaring handog namin, harana ng puso.” J.E.Capilos (Kagawaran ng Filipino)
The Game with the Big Show. His name can also refer to what I call "American Arrogance" that we personally experienced during the meet and greet. May kuwento ako tungkol dito sa susunod na entry, together with the results of the 2 WWE House Show event last February 24 and 25. 
