MARTIN STRIKES BACK AFTER DARK!

Here's his response to his bad version, he apologizes his fellow Filipinos and the RP-NHI. Geez:

“About 3 months ago I was asked by our champion Manny Pacquiao to sing the national anthem in his fight with Ricky Hatton. I accepted whole-heartedly. This would be my first time to be blessed with the honor of representing my country and singing our national anthem infront of the world. It was then my plan to make my moment of honor not about me or anything showbiz.

“Instead I wanted to stand center ring as nothing else but a proud Filipino singing his anthem, wanting every word and emotion behind each word to reach not just the cheap seats at the very top of the arena, but heard, felt and understood even in the non-Tagalog speaking countries all over the world. Music is the universal language, so I knew if I arranged it and performed it convincingly I could make our anthem understood even though it was the only anthem that night that was not in English. I could have just gone thru the motions of singing it over, but no, I wanted to represent and communicate.

“So with all my heart and love for the country I was so proud to represent as well as the fighter I opened for, I sang the anthem the way I did. If I were to tell you in a soft voice, in perfect time and pitch as dictated by history, ‘Ang Mamatay Nang Dahil Sa ‘Yo’ would you believe me? But if I made sure I said the line with conviction and volume enough to heard over thousands of screams then would you believe me better?

“I cannot apologize for the way I sang it because no one told me the rules nor the laws in years past. Didn’t hear about any of these so-called laws when the others before me sang their versions. I didn’t get the memo. I will not apologize for giving my all just to sing that song infront of the world. But I do apologize ONLY to the people afraid of progress and change, of course to the lawmakers and to whom ever else took offense to my interpretation of probably the most beautiful song I have ever come across. And to everyone else, God bless your open mind and open heart.

“Still a proud Filipino, Martin Nievera”

MAXENE'S MAGALONA'S POINT ON AKO MISMO

Maxene Magalona, the daughter of the late great rapper Francis Magalona, and also an advocate of that Ako Mismo project responds to the rumored candidacy of sports mogul Manuel V. Pangilinan, credits to Pipoy of PinoyExchange:

Maxene Magalona's blog


First of all, before I accepted this project, we made sure that this had nothing to do with political campaigns. And we were assured that it wasn't. I am shocked that people actually see this advocacy as something negative and corrupt. Instead of people seeing it as an improved way of the Filipino life, they choose to find something wrong with it. Sayang yung project.



Regardless if you receive campaign emails or not, it is up to you to decide on what to do. In a way, this campaign is also encouraging people, especially the younger generation, to register and VOTE. Just like the "Don't Vote" campaign in the US, the Ako Mismo org hopes to help in increasing the number of voters. We musn't be apathetic.



These kinds of people are actually what make the Philippines seem like a hopeless country. I mean, here is this movement, actually trying to make a difference in the Filipinos (since change begins with oneself) and instead of believing in it, there are some people who choose to put it down. I know that our country hasn't been improving much but come on, we can't just give up. We HAVE to take a stand. As the commercial says, poverty, inadequate education and insufficient jobs are not the main problems we are currently experiencing. The biggest problem that the Philippines is suffering from is its people's loss of hope. I thought that this ad would actually encourage the Filipinos to begin changing themselves by deciding not to give up. But now I can see that it isn't enough. And honestly, I don't think that anything will ever be good enough for the Filipinos. MASYADONG MARAMING REKLAMO. Nakakapagod na.



Oh well. I just really hope that you guys could give our country a chance. Wag tayo mawawalan ng pag-asa. smile.gif


P.S. Smart denied these allegations. They simply pay for spots so that the ad would air. And with the billions of money SMART-PLDT makes, why would they need to make money out of this campaign? Tsk tsk.


This is nothing but a SINCERE project of DDB. What's in it for them, you ask? The improvement their ad makes in the Filipinos. The way they encourage the Filipinos to CHANGE. That's worth MORE than billions and gazillions of money. Check out their site here: http://ddb.com As you can see, lagi sila gumagawa ng advocacies. GANUN TALAGA SILA. Hard to believe? Kasi ang Pinoy kailangan laging may kapalit.