Bangon SugBogo to uplift spirits in north

After staging three successful concerts to raise funds for the victims of the recent calamities in Central and Eastern Visayas, the fourth edition is set on Saturday, this time for the typhoon-stricken city of Bogo in northern Cebu by a group that now calls itself Bangon SugBogo.

It is actually the same group that launched the #BangonSugBohol benefit shows to raise funds for relief and rehabilitation of communities devastated by the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Cebu and Bohol last Oct. 15.

Organizers said the objective of the concert is not just raise funds but also to “uplift the spirits of residents in north Cebu who were ravaged by Yolanda.”

“They don’t have a roof, they don’t have food and they don’t have entertainment so we saw the opportunity to go there and stage the concert. Everyone is free to attend,” said Wilson Ng, one of the event organizers.

“We expect more than 5,000 people to come so we urge everyone to invite their friends. Even people from Cebu City. Let’s go there and join everyone to support,” he added.

The concert which coincides with Andres Bonifacio Day on Nov. 30 is dubbed “Everyone is a Hero” to honor everyone who volunteered in the relief operations.

“As we move into reconstruction phase, it is not just our homes that need to be rebuilt but also our hearts,” said May Ybañez, executive director of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI).

Ng, his wife Melanie and Ybañez met with Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III yesterday at the Capitol to coordinate with the Cebu provincial government the staging of the concert.

A venue has not been finalized yet but the City Plaza of Bogo and the open space outside the damaged Bogo City Sports and Cultural Complex are possible sites for the concert, said Melanie.

Wilson said that as of yesterday, a total of 86 volunteer performers have already signed up for the event and the number is expected to increase.

Invitations have also been extended to neighboring towns which also bore supertyphoon Yolanda’s ferocity, namely, San Remigio, Medellin, Daanbantayan and Bantayan island.

Private groups who are planning to bring in relief goods are also encouraged to come, he said.

Davide assured the movement of support from the Capitol.

“This is what’s admirable about Cebuanos, we respond and help to calamity situations automatically without any word from the government,” Davide said.

Almost P4 million in cash have been raised from the last three benefit concerts held at The Terraces in Ayala Center, Cebu.