Nikki Valdez, Julia Barretto, other stars make their voices heard in ‘SONAGKaisa‘

MANILA, Philippines — Some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry made their voices heardon Monday during the “Tinig ng Bayan: SONAGKaisa online concert,”  staged in time for President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA).

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“Let us not lose hope and resilience especially in this time, when we should all have one voice, one heart,” actress Nikki Valdez said during the event, which was streamed on the Facebook page of Radyo Katipunan.

The online concert, which was streamed at the same time Duterte was delivering his address, addressed a number of issues — such as the shutdown of ABS-CBN, the government’s response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, and the anti-terrorism law.

Julia Barretto lamented the loss of jobs after her home network went off the air.

“I myself am a witness to the sadness and the heartache, the pain, the frustration that brought many people from my community,” she said.

“And I am one with the people in looking for solutions for a better Philippines. I am one with the people hoping for a better tomorrow, a brighter tomorrow.”

Matt Evans, meanwhile, said that during this pandemic what the nation needed was “bayanihan (cooperation).”

“This is the time for unity, not division,” he added in Filipino.

Among those who performed during the concert were Frankie Pangilinan, Noel and son Gab Cabangon, Jim Paredes, Itchyworms, Bituin Escalante, and Martin Nievera.

Apart from the entertainer, other notable names appeared in the Sonagkaisa online concert, such as National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera.

Lumbera had this message in Filipino to Duterte: “Look after what the people need, listen to their complaints, and their dreams for the future.”

/atm