OPM rap-song to promote unity in the time of COVID-19

Last April 9, Pares Retiro and The Sandwich Guy’s CEO Djonald

“DJ” Pornel (photo) produced a song and a music video invoking unity and positivity among the lockdown-weary Filipinos.

The song and MTV, uploaded just last May 7 on the Facebook page of Pornel’s Pares Retiro, has already posted 1.1 million views, more than 18,700 shares and 30,300 reacts, as well as 312 comments as of May 16. And it is still going viral.

Pornel, a past president of the Rotary Club of Makati McKinley, said that he was heartened by the positive feedback on the song, while also acknowledging the negative.

“From these comments and huge shares, we already feel we have succeeded in our goal to lift the spirit of our people. We just hope they finish it till the end because the whole song is fully packed with meaningful lyrics meant to give us tips on how to cope with the situation,” Pornel said. Pornel admitted the pandemic and the resulting lockdown that continues to be enforced over most parts of the country, has also negatively affected his businesses, largely his Pares Retiro which has over 10 branches and his The Sandwich Guy which has almost 30 branches. Nevertheless, he says the song aims to promote positivity amidst the pandemic. Pornel urged, “We all have faith. Faith plays a major role, especially in the lives of Pinoys. All endeavors have 50 percent mental (effort) in it. If we put it in our minds that we are defeated, then we are all done. But if we have faith, we can live through it, we will survive.”