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Helping people help themselves is a short thematic video about the Citizens’ Disaster Response Center, an organization committed to empowering communities in facing and coping up with disasters. Written and directed by Karl Ramirez featuring CDRC’s public information staff Angie Isla-Odilao. Alagaan ang Kalikasan, the song used in the video was written, arranged and performed by Karl Ramirez for CDRC’s radio program in Veritas.

It was also mentioned in the article Remembering ‘Ondoy’ and preparing for the worst published in The Manila Times.

Ondoy: Isang Balik-Tanaw event was also highlighted by the launch of “Helping people help themselves,” a short thematic video on volunteerism, and on empowering communities in facing and coping up with disasters. It is written and directed by Karl Ramirez featuring his song “Alagaan ang Kalikasan.”

  • Track Name

    Tagapagtanggol ng Bayan

  • Artist

    Karl Ramirez

Tagapagtanggol ng Bayan is a song I wrote for the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), a nationwide voluntary association of human rights lawyers in the Philippines committed to the defense, protection, and promotion of human rights, especially of the poor and the oppressed.

  • Written and performed by Karl Ramirez
  • Year: 2010

Tagapagtanggol ng Bayan (lyrics)

Ang batas ba kapag pinatutupad bakit kailangang magkakaiba?
Ang batas nga ba ay pwede mo baluktutin katapat ay pera?
Kayrami mo bang tanong?
Nanaisin mo pa bang maging isang tagapagtanggol?

Ang batas ba ay mas panig sa mapang-api kesa sa masa?
Ang batas nga ba mas madalas ay kakampi ng mga mapagsamantala?

Kayraming dapat itanong
At ngayon ang inyong panahon
Kailangan ng ating sambayanan
Ang buong pusong tagapagtanggol ng bayan

Ang katarungan ay para sa lahat
Sa lahat kasama ang api at mahihirap
Sila ay madalas tinatapaktapakan lang
Sila ang madalas inyong pagtatanggol ay kailangan
Kanilang kailangan

Kaya halina at maglingkod
Maglingkod tayo sa nangangailangan
Nangangailangan ang karamihan
Sa kayraming sulok ng ating bayan
Kapag may inaapi
Tayo’y kanilang kakampi
Tagapagtanggol ng bayan

  • Track Name

    Alagaan ang Kalikasan/Pansinin ang Kalikasan

  • Artist

    Karl Ramirez

Alagaan ang Kalikasan (Pansinin ang Kalikasan) is the official theme of CDRC’s 30-minute disaster preparedness segment airing at Radio Veritas DZRV 846 khz every Friday 7:30am. It has been a year since I’ve written and recorded this song and I think the best way to celebrate its timely message is to sing and record it one more time. A jazzy fun beat this time around. :-) Have fun listening!

  • Written, arranged, and performed by Karl Ramirez
  • Year: 2009

Alagaan ang Kalikasan (lyrics)

Napapansin nyo bang nagbabago
Ang ikot ng ating mundo
Tuyong tuyo ang tag-ulan
At binabaha naman ang anihan

Nagagalit ang kalikasan
Dahil sa problemang dala ng kasakiman
Ano ba ang pwede ko at pwede nating gawin?
Kabuhayan ba’y maari pa bang sagipin?

Paano pa ba makaliligtas
Kung tubig baha sa amin, oy kay taas
Pambihirang kalagayan nga ba ang ating binabanga
Makaligtas pa ba… ano kaya?

Nagpapapansin ang kalikasan
Halina at ating balikan
Sama sama nating alagaan
Upang panganib ay ating malampasan

Nagpapapansin ang kalikasan
Halina at ating balikan
Sama sama nating alagaan
Upang panganib ay ating
Panganib ay ating
malampasan

Judging already ended, txt voting too. It is final! This is Net-25 Convergence’s new theme. Thanks to everyone! (Updated October 1, 2010)

Convergence is a song that calls out to this tech-savvy generation to use technology not just for personal satisfaction but to bring forth a better tomorrow to the Filipino people.

The song by the way made it to the grand finals of Net25 Convergence’s Rock the Beat songwriting competition. So if you believe that change in our society is possible, or that info-tech can indeed be used for the Filipino’s better future, or if you simply love listening to my song, please vote for it by texting:

CNV <space> RB3 <space> 6

to 2861. Voting is open to all networks and ends on August 1, 2010. Other information regarding Rock the Beat can be found at the Net25 website (http://www.net-25.com/rockthebeat.html) and at the Convergence online forum (http://convergence.net-25.com/rtb). The embedded player above is using the audio file directly at the Net25 website. Lyrics also posted at the Convergence online forum.

My song entry for Rock the Beat, a song writing contest initiated by channel Net-25&#8217;s information technology show Convergence, made it to the grand finals. Final judging and performance will be on August 2010. Voting have already started by the way. Reposting the following from my wordpress. Please vote for my song entry by texting CNV [space] RB3&#160;[space] [number of votes] and send to 2861 (all networks). For the [number of votes] you can put in 1, 5, or 6 which is equivalent to 2, 15, and 20 pesos respectively. For example, texting CNV RB3&#160;6 to 2861 will add the maximum of 6 votes to my song entry. Voting ends on August 1, 2010. Thanks! Complete mechanics and details at the Net25 site.
Zoom
My song entry for Rock the Beat, a song writing contest initiated by channel Net-25&#8217;s information technology show Convergence, made it to the grand finals. Final judging and performance will be on August 2010. Voting have already started by the way. Reposting the following from my wordpress. Please vote for my song entry by texting CNV [space] RB3&#160;[space] [number of votes] and send to 2861 (all networks). For the [number of votes] you can put in 1, 5, or 6 which is equivalent to 2, 15, and 20 pesos respectively. For example, texting CNV RB3&#160;6 to 2861 will add the maximum of 6 votes to my song entry. Voting ends on August 1, 2010. Thanks! Complete mechanics and details at the Net25 site.
Zoom Info
My song entry for Rock the Beat, a song writing contest initiated by channel Net-25&#8217;s information technology show Convergence, made it to the grand finals. Final judging and performance will be on August 2010. Voting have already started by the way. Reposting the following from my wordpress. Please vote for my song entry by texting CNV [space] RB3&#160;[space] [number of votes] and send to 2861 (all networks). For the [number of votes] you can put in 1, 5, or 6 which is equivalent to 2, 15, and 20 pesos respectively. For example, texting CNV RB3&#160;6 to 2861 will add the maximum of 6 votes to my song entry. Voting ends on August 1, 2010. Thanks! Complete mechanics and details at the Net25 site.
Zoom Info
My song entry for Rock the Beat, a song writing contest initiated by channel Net-25&#8217;s information technology show Convergence, made it to the grand finals. Final judging and performance will be on August 2010. Voting have already started by the way. Reposting the following from my wordpress. Please vote for my song entry by texting CNV [space] RB3&#160;[space] [number of votes] and send to 2861 (all networks). For the [number of votes] you can put in 1, 5, or 6 which is equivalent to 2, 15, and 20 pesos respectively. For example, texting CNV RB3&#160;6 to 2861 will add the maximum of 6 votes to my song entry. Voting ends on August 1, 2010. Thanks! Complete mechanics and details at the Net25 site.
Zoom Info

My song entry for Rock the Beat, a song writing contest initiated by channel Net-25’s information technology show Convergence, made it to the grand finals. Final judging and performance will be on August 2010. Voting have already started by the way. Reposting the following from my wordpress.

Please vote for my song entry by texting CNV [space] RB3 [space] [number of votes] and send to 2861 (all networks). For the [number of votes] you can put in 1, 5, or 6 which is equivalent to 2, 15, and 20 pesos respectively. For example, texting CNV RB3 6 to 2861 will add the maximum of 6 votes to my song entry. Voting ends on August 1, 2010. Thanks! Complete mechanics and details at the Net25 site.

Free the 43 is a song for the 43 health workers illegally arrested and detained by the military. You can download the MP3 at my wordpress blog.

  • Music and Lyrics: Carl Lopez
  • Arrangement: Renato Reyes and Aki Merced
  • Vocals: Aki Merced
  • Guitars and Harmocia: Renato Reyes
  • Sound Engineer, Editor: Karl Ramirez
  • Recorded at Kodao Productions
  • Year: 2010

The Forty-Three (Lyrics)

I got hold of the papers
And reeled from the news:
Forty-three health workers,
Abducted and abused

By military forces
“Protecting the State”,
‘Though they never did nuthin’
To be treated this way.

They were training poor people
To take care of their lives
And, in the eyes of the Law,
‘Twas a horrible crime.

But, when they were at storm-fronts,
Providing free aid,
Nobody even bothered
To ask ‘em their names.

Blindfolded and handcuffed,
Dragged into jail;
Restless, and unknowing
Of what horrors lie in wait.

As though low’r than animals,
They’re fed and made to crawl.
Surrounded by armed men,
They are pinned ‘gainst the walls.

What ever did they do
To deserve such a fate?
Is helping poor people
Treason against the State?

Since you got no proof
Of their “conspiracy”/ This we plainly see
We demand of you now:
FREE THE FORTY-THREE!

“Ang Makata’y Mandirigma, Ang Mandirigma’y Makata” musical director Rica Palis and production manager Walkie Miraña fused the music I created for the musical’s final chapter with libretto of Edward Perez and parts of the progressive song “Pagbabalikwas”. Hence, creating the piece Awit ni Laya (Laya’s Song). You can check out the other musical arrangement I’ve made for this one of a kind musical at my wordpress blog.

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