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Musicicans’ union: on the way to progress

BAGUIO CITY (Apr. 6) — The Tan-aw Multimedia Collective initiated a Musicians’ Forum last April 4 to discuss the concerns and issues musicians handle these days. Chikoy Pura (The Jerks), Pepe Smith (Juan Dela Cruz band), and Baguio-based musicians (Ridaw, Binhi, and some folk singers) gathered at Ayuyang Bar here.

The Forum started with a video presentation entitled Musikero ng Ating Panahon (Musician of Our Times) prepared by the Tan-aw Multimedia Collective.

The said video showcased the struggles of measly compensation the musicians get out of three to four hours of nonstop performance; the musician’s plight of no specific benefits; and the musician’s role in society.

“When the human condition is agony and pain, music lets out a yelp that echoes across the length and breadth of heaven and earth, and shatters the ramparts of oppression,” as quoted from Conrado de Quiros as part of the said video.

Resource speaker Chikoy Pura, together with his wife and band manager Monette Pura, relayed the current situation of musicians in Manila. He said that planning and organizing a musicians’ union would definitely address the issues of no benefits, low salary and insecurity of job tenure.

“Differences among musicians are very varied. There’s the variation of genre, the type of instrument one plays, the locality. In short, there are varied cliques that are very difficult to unite. But with the presence of a union, there would be a common ground among us,” Pura explained.

In 1960, the Philippine Musicians’ Guild was established. It was the union of hotel jazz and standard musicians. As for Baguio, the Cordillera Musicians Guild was established to accommodate Baguio musicians. Later on, its members were mostly country musicians resulting to ‘exclusivity’.

Pura then said, “We have great musicians and songwriters so there is a greater need for a union. Then the rights and welfare of the musicians could be addressed, or at least a proper representation for lobbying these workers’ economic needs be at hand for support.”

“There have been initial moves in Manila, like helping out young bands upon signing contracts so they will be protected from unjust paying establishments. We, managers and musicians from Manila, urge Baguio musicians to upstart a group that could eventually lead to a national union to tackle our deserved benefits,” Monette Pura ended. # Pink-Jean Fangon Melegrito for NORDIS

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