‘Let’s do it again’

After Sunday’s successful benefit concert at The Terraces-Ayala, a second “We Will Rise Again” concert will be held on Saturday, this time at SM City Cebu, to raise funds for the earthquake victims in Cebu and Bohol.

Two simultaneous concerts will be held at the mall.

From 3 to 7 p. m. the SM Northwing will present choirs, ensembles and orchestras for soft music. Rock bands will perform in the second concert to be held at the covered parking lot from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The second concert aims to encourage the young to get involved especially since students are on vacation until Nov. 4, said Wilson Ng.

The goal is not to match or exceed the funds raised during the first concert but to generate participation and get more people to give, even in small amounts.

The first concert on Oct. 20, which was quickly put together in three days, lasted from 2 p.m to midnight, and succeeded in generating awareness among business organizations. It raised P1,296,595 in cash and pledges, said Lito Maderazao, president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which is the lead convenor of the Bangon SugBohol movement.

Among the big donors was Ayala Land Inc. with P200,000. The CCCI Centennial Committee with P75,000. An anonymous donor also gave P50,000.

Relief goods from the campaign will be distributed in Bohol this Saturday, Oct. 26 for the first wave. An advance team will go to Loboc and Loay towns to survey the area, coordinate with social workers and collate a list of barangay beneficiaries that the team has identified.

“As much as possible we will avoid tapping the local governments,” organizers said.

Candice Gotianuy, chancellor and Lotlot Neri of University of Cebu were tasked to spearhead the campaign among different university organizations in Cebu.

CCCI will be the lead group to handle the funds.

For the Saturday concert, director Rudy Aviles, Maestro Dennis Sugarol, Jude Gitamondoc, Cinbeth Orellano, Gloria Villarojo, and the Creative Thespians will again be tapped to mount the show.

A request was made to ask TV networks GMA and ABS CBN to send some of their artists.

“It ain’t over yet. Let’s campaign hard for the second one. If it’s OK to dream big, let us go for 5,000 attendees,” Ng said.