In last Wednesday’s re-launching of “Boto Mo, I-Patrol Mo: Ako ang Simula” presented by ABS-CBN and the MANILA BULLETIN, supporters were treated to a night of music and entertainment, thanks to RockEd Philippines.

Emphasizing the nature of RockEd Philippines as a volunteer organization, Gang says they were able to accomplish their projects because, as what she pointed out earlier, “they only attract people with initiative.”  People who volunteer to help them simply need to offer whatever they love doing, and the group will find a way to make that particular “expertise” beneficial to the lives of the people they work for.  “If it is something that you do and something that really matters to you, hindi ka magni-ningas kugon eh.  Doon magkakaroon ng commitment, ng consistency and efficiency.”

“I think real genius happens because there is repetition, and repetition only happens because you like it,” she says. “True love (for the craft) happens because you’re in love with it, you yearn for it kahit ordinary, sobrang tagal, and requires work.  I think that’s the secret.”

What people do not understand right away about RockEd Philippines is the way the group carries and supports its causes through music and entertainment with the help of rock stars — popular social figures that are often associated to the youth’s clamor for leisure.

Gang says she has always encountered the question of the ever-constant possibility that people would just come to see them (the “stars”) and not for the value or message of the event itself. 

“Music will always gather people, people will always gather ideas, ideas then become projects, and projects become better lives for other people,” Gang says.  “If I get an arena because I brought Sandwich or Eraserheads, for example, and 60,000 people came because of them, there’s a big chance that 98% of that 60,000 will forget about Rock Ed.  But there will be one, two, or 0.5 percent that will stay, will change, will think of other things, will decide differently, will think of a different cause, will figure out what they really want, and will keep the country in mind, I’ll definitely take that 0.5%! If I needed to gather 60,000 just to gather that number of people, I’ll do it; I’ll keep doing it. Of course there’s always value in numbers, but you know for a special purpose and reason that you need a ‘lean machine’ to make things work effectively,” she explains.

Getting the gas for the machine
Of course, people will always be intrigued by how RockEd Philippines manages to stage these kinds of events topbilled by today’s most sought after personalities in the local music scene.  “People think that we’re a gigantic organization because we look a little bigger than I imagine we are, but we’re only four people who focus full-time!”

Gang has actually established an events company, Samarami Asia (http://samarami.com/), to fund and finance RockEd Philippines’ various projects.  “It (Samarami) funds the four people who run the administration of RockEd.  However, every time we raise funds, say for Ondoy, I’m a bit heartbroken to spend some for salaries and gas; gusto ko lahat deretso (towards the project), but hindi naman realistic ‘yun.  Technically, Samarami Asia funds Rock Ed,” Gang explains.

She also says that, although they have Samarami Asia to fund RockEd’s projects, they also appreciate grants and would love to accept grants from people of companies who unite with RockEd’s goals and objectives.  “The problem kasi is that sometimes when a grant giver gives you grants, their objectives become yours too.  Marami ka na rin hindi puwedeng i-cross na line and they’ll work through their preferences.  So technically, we like funding ourselves, and we’re only getting funding from companies who are completely aligned because I really prefer that nobody holds our balls, nobody holds Rock Ed’s balls.  That’s how it’s been.”

Between today and 2015
Unfortunately, and as Gang admits, RockEd Philippines has chosen a path with which the fruits of the group’s efforts cannot be concretely represented in the society. “I can never give you a number saying that there are now 15,000 people that have been more patriotic or 16,000 more teenagers that ask more questions.  You certainly feel it in the air; questions are different, teenagers are different,” she tells. 

She delights in the fact that, at least for now, you can see outward and prevalent manifestations of Filipino patriotism in the society.  “Fifteen or ten years ago, you can never buy a shirt that says ‘Cubao’.  And that’s something good!” 

“Akala ko dati ang patriotic na tao ay ‘yung magaling mag-Tagalog,” Gang explains. “I used to beat myself up kasi mas mabilis ako mag-isip and I’m more organized sa English, because, unfortunately, that’s the language of our logic.  I thought with that I’m less Filipino, but it’s absolutely not.  We have to stop looking at the cosmetic part of being Filipino.  I think a real Filipino is someone who asks where we came from, where are we now, and where do we want to go,” she narrates.

“If you ask me now if I have faith in the Philippines, I’ll say no; none at all. But I want to; everything that I do now is just towards the direction of just having faith,” Gang emphasizes.  “I will not make you believe into saying that I have faith, or kaya ng Pinoy. I don’t have that bravado now, especially after the Maguindanao massacre.  But my goal is to have faith, so I will work my way.  I am not working for the Philippines because I have faith; I’m working because there is zero!  If I have faith already, then I don’t need to be working this hard and I don’t have to be this passionate.  Two reactions lang naman yan eh: no hope, give up and no hope, grit your teeth and do it better!”

At the end of the day, RockEd Philippines will always be an organization that pushes for love and patriotism through involvement in social affairs that matter on the lives of every Filipino.  As what Jesuit Father Pedro Arrupe says, and Gang quotes, the secret is to fall in love.  You have to fall in love and determine why you get up in the morning, why you sleep at night, what else you would like to read, and what else would you like to know. 

“You might as well work in a realm that you love, because work will always be required.  So what’s our job?  Our job really is to come up with events and gigs like tonight, and push a certain cause; it’s something that we love,” Gang concludes.