A concert for ‘Iskolars Ng Bayan’
The life of the “Iskolar ng Bayan” is full of ups and downs, and never has this been more evident than in the case of a medical student.
Slaving away almost a decade in the pursuit of earning the right to have someone’s life lie squarely on his or her shoulders is no small feat! It is the stuff soap operas are made of! It takes countless sleepless nights and sleep-deprived-duty days to perfect the SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) – a documentation method utilized by doctors to complete a patient’s chart.
Our “Iskolar ng Bayan” future doctor is committed to serve our underserved kababayans starting with his or her stint at the Philippine General Hospital. Every UP medical student is committed to stay and work for the health needs of our country at least three years within five years from graduation under the College of Medicine and UP’s Return Service Program.
In UP, the soap opera-like life of the “Iskolar ng Bayan” begins in the now near-decrepit building housing the Basic Sciences Learning Resource East & West rooms. Typical in a teleserye, our “Iskos” and “Iskas” do not buckle down amid the numerous odds and adversities medical school life thrown in their way - with the invaluable help from UP’s medical alumni, their friends and benefactors.
To help our “lskolars ng Bayan“have a happy start not just a happy ending on their medical life, the University of the Philippines Medical Alumni Fund, Inc. (UPMAF), in cooperation with the UP College of Medicine Resource Generation Office – are launching: “ANG SOAP OPERA NG BUHAY KO” (The Concert: Voices of Healing) at the new Marriott Grand Ballroom on Aug. 26, 2015. This is a dinner concert featuring several of the biggest names in the international and local concert scene. Proceeds will fund the College of Medicine’s most ambitious infrastructure project – construction of a 7-storey multi-million peso new UP College of Medicine Academic Center,
On this very special night, the awesome 50-piece ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Gerard Salonga, will bring together Lea Salonga, Ryan Cayabyab, Jed Madela, Vice Ganda, Mark Bautista, Cris Villonco, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Bituin Escalante, Pinky Marquez, Franco Laurel, The Tux, Caisa Borromeo, Baihana, Catherine Fisher, among others, in their collective effort to add to the “Voice of Healing.”
An 80-strong chorus composed of The Mass Appeal, Ateneo Chamber Singers, and the UP Medicine Choir will also fill the grandiose ballroom with heavenly voices that only a most “Wonderful Choir” can bring. Incidentally, this will be Lea Salonga’s last concert before she stars in “Allegiance,” in New York City, which premieres on October 20, marking her eagerly-awaited return to Broadway since her last appearance in Les Miserables in 2007.
The overall chair for this concert project is Dr. Melfred L. Hernandez. For ticket and sponsorship inquiries please contact Dr. Hernandez (0917-8152029), business committee chair Dr. Karin Estepa (0922-8253146), or Kareen Tapia (09238568043) of UPMAF (02) 5264255, upmaf.secretariat@gmail.com.
We earnestly ask you to please add your VOICE, and help this worthy cause for our future doctors.