Boy Abunda (third from left) with Anton Antenorcruz, Saga and Raven Heyres —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
There are times when music can reach where words cannot. That’s why TV host Boy Abunda has ventured into songwriting. He leads a call for solidarity, equality and respect in the Philippines’ first Pride EP, “Say It Clear, Say It Loud” (which he coproduced with Star Music).
Tito Boy seized the gay, este day. What better way to conclude the Pride month than by singing new LGBTQ+ anthems to remind us that “one love fits all.” Gay pride is something Tito Boy wears well.
The six tracks in the album that he composed are: “Kalbaryo,” “Diyos Ko, Diyos Ko Po,” “Papa Alleluia,” “Ideal World,” “Bilang” and the title cut, all performed by members of the LGBTQ+ community, Anton Antenorcruz, Raven Heyres and Saga. It’s now streaming on all platforms.
At the launch of the EP, I chided Tito Boy, “Sistah, what can you not do? You’re now a composer. You should sing one of your songs.”
Knowing him, he just might surprise us all. That’s the Abunda charisma. Tito Boy never runs out of ways to keep us watching and listening.
READ: Boy Abunda says KathNiel breakup shocked him the most in his entire career
Here are quotes from Tito Boy:
I am not a professional composer, but I know the joys and pains of being gay. I know how it is to pray. I know how it is to be discriminated against. So, ang baon ko while writing the songs were the stories of the LGBTQ+ community and my own personal journey.
It’s ironic that I’ve been in the entertainment industry for so long, but it’s only now that I’ve thought of music as a tool to tell our stories. Songs have a sense of permanence. I want the EP to be my legacy to the LGBTQ+ community.
“Papa Alleluia” is our thank you to the Pope. Just as he said, “If someone seeks the Lord and is a good person, who are we to judge if he’s gay?” I am Catholic. I don’t want to fight with the Catholic church.
“Diyos Ko, Diyos Ko Po” is like a prayer. The message of the song is part of our truth. We are all children of God, regardless of our gender.
“Kalbaryo” highlights the discrimination. In some places, gays are still invisible. It’s strange when people say, “Okay lang that he’s gay kasi he designs clothes well or he’s a good performer.” Why can’t we be accepted for who we are as humans?
I’ve composed many other songs for the community. In the next EP, the songs will be more on the naughty side. The title of one of the cuts is “Mahal Ko, Mahal ng Bayan.”
I can’t pick which one of my compositions is closest to my heart. It’s like asking a mother who her favorite child is. The love remains whole and equal.
I don’t know if it comes with age, but I’ve become so lachrymal. While I was watching Saga, Anton and Raven’s powerful renditions of my compositions, I teared up.
Health is wealth
The future of wellness was unboxed at a gathering of industry leaders from private and public sectors here and abroad across entertainment, sports, lifestyle and business. Together, marking a milestone in Philippine health care by introducing game-changing products and services are mWell Watch, Ring and the Mind Health Score.
Some of the celebrities present were Regine Velasquez, Jed Madela, Mark Bautista, Jona, Klarisse, Aicelle Santos, Bituin Escalante, Vicki Belo and Hayden Kho.
Regine shared how the mWell ring enables her to monitor her sleep, heart rate and other health metrics through the app. If health is wealth, then you can feel like a millionaire the mWell way.