Quest’s ‘Sasamahan Kita’ inspired by his grandma

Quest

As a child living a less than ideal life, music artist Quest said it was his grandmother, a teacher, who instilled in him the importance of education.

“She took care of us from the start. She inspired me to work hard and never give up,” the singer-songwriter said of his lola, who prompted him to write “Sasamahan Kita”—an uplifting song for the recent campaign of PHINMA Education, a network of schools in the country.

“I placed myself in her shoes and wrote about the experience,” related Quest, whose real name is Jose Villanueva III. “I saw how much she dedicated her life to her profession. I saw her dedication and hard work.”

“Sasamahan Kita,” which talks about pursuing one’s dreams amid difficulties and the importance of having a strong support system, has been released on Spotify. Its music video, meanwhile, features students who have managed to juggle school and work.

“I’m an advocate of getting an education, of having the right mentors and surrounding myself with the right people,” he said. “The people in my life gave me the confidence I needed to dream and achieve, no matter how small.”—ALLAN POLICARPIO