Gary V’s advice in this time of crisis: Factor God into the equation

Gary Valenciano

The crisis the world is facing today is unprecedented, Gary Valenciano said, and the resulting need for care and aid for our fellowmen is similarly so.

As it is, people are getting sick, families are losing their livelihoods and are unable to have their children enrolled this school year. “It’s a tragedy,” he said of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic needs are huge; the needs are neverending. I’m talking about the cause of the front-liners, the urban poor and the children who need to be protected,” the seasoned singer-songwriter told the Inquirer in a recent email interview.

That’s why he continues to use his voice and platform to inspire people and empower worthy projects and advocacies. His next online show—a repeat of his fundraiser “Faith, Love, Hope”—will benefit ABS-CBN’s Sagip Kapamilya initiative, particularly its scholarship fund.

“The goal is for everyone to come together and unite to have fun and yet, be able to increase the awareness of the intense need to support our Kapamilya and to raise funds for a good cause,” Gary said of the virtual concert, which will be live streamed this Aug. 22, 9 p.m. on his official Facebook page. “FLH 2” will have Gary performing inspirational songs and will feature performances from guests Martin Nievera, Jed Madela, Erik Santos, Yeng Constantino, KZ Tandingan, Iñigo Pascual, Klarisse Guzman, Jason Dy, Morissette Amon. Gary’s kids, Gab and Kiana Valenciano, will also be onboard.

“Hopefully, the viewers would feel blessed, encouraged and lifted up, even if not all the songs are the typical inspirational kinds of songs I sing,” he said. “Every song has a backstory. I think it’s the stories that are really going to be the takeaway narratives of the night to make its way into the hearts of those who will be watching.”

In the past six months, Gary has helped raise over P13 million through his own shows and other fundraisers he took part in like “Bayanihan, Musikahan” and “Buhat Paglaum.” But the credit isn’t his, he said, but the kindhearted, compassionate Filipinos.’ “I was just a conduit to sound off what I know many people were already looking for—means or ways to help anyone in need. It was the viewers, the fans, the donors who made it happen,” he pointed out. For the 56-year-old music artist, it’s heartening to see people sharing the same vision and heeding Christ’s call to “love thy neighbor.” “It certainly feels good to know that there are people who go deep into their hearts, live out what they feel they need and share at the same time,” he said.

Reflecting on life while in quarantine, Gary, who’s also a Unicef national ambassador, said the “stillness” of it all has compelled him to be even more introspective and connected with God.

“I believe that if we’re able to keep still and look deeper we will also allow ourselves to open up to whatever God is trying to tell us: How we should live our lives with our families; how we should treasure our friends; what should we be working for; and what we should be doing with all the strengths that He’s given us with our mental, physical and creative abilities,” he said.

And if he could give a piece of advice to people grappling with the uncertainties of our current situation, it would be to “factor God into the equation.”

“Students, professionals, young and old alike, are going through the same crisis together,” Gary said. “And my strongest advice would be to change your lenses and to add God into your way of thinking, your way of living, your way of speaking, your way of believing.”