EDRALINS AND GILIW KO, VERGARA’S BEST SONG FOR BAGUIO PEOPLE SHE HOPES TO WIN ON MAY 12
It is not unusual for the Edralins to play for a political rally especially so that it is for Gladys Vergara. For one, the band used to sing in a bar co-owned by Vergara’s younger brother, Jonathan. Second, Vergara is running with tenor Glen Gaerlan, who like Edralins front man Bong Manansala is a University of Baguio loyalist . Gaerlan teaches music at the school owned by the Bautista, whose member, former school president Johann Ben is the brother in law of Bong. Vergara would definitely love the songs of the band, famous for their 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s repertoire.
Vergara and Gaerlan are definitely Generation Xers, who grew up listening to Beatles, new wave, pop-disco and the original Piilipino music – Manila Sound – which are some of the band’s favorite tunes. After hearing Bong’s distinctive voice near Sunshine Grocery, I dropped by at the Malcolm Square (People’s Park but I prefer the older name). Better sound than at the small bars where they usually play. “Thank you Kay ma’am Vergara na palaging tinatawag kami pag may tourism event and syempre sa kapatid (Jonathan) nya na matalik na matalik kung kaibigan,” quipped Bong after belting another Beatles hit, Ticket to Ride.
Then the band went back to singing an OPM by Brazil Valdez.Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling Ka which was released in 1980 just as Vergara was on her third year high school She was also then a Kabataang Barangay Chairman and later an ex-officio member of the City Council. She went in to become the national vice president under then chair and now Sen. Imee Marcos, sister of now President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., who is Bong’s namesake In fact Bong’s full name is Joseph Edralin Manansala, after the late Strongman, who is a son of an Edralin, a prominent Ilocos Norte family. When the Edralins played in the birthday bash of the president sometime in 2008, the then senator was so impressed with the band and asked why they were named so.
” It was because of your dad, my mom was a big fun,” he quipped. “Why Bong?” “Well because of you,” of course in Filipino since the Kapampangan, Baguio grown Manansala prefer to speak in Filipino. It was an afternoon that really thrilled supporters of Vergara and her running mates -Gaerlan and former mixed martial arts hotshot Eric Kelly. “Pagod na ba kayo”” as he started belting an original, “Giliw Ko”. It is a song that will define Vergara’s quest for the congressional seat her father held four times. A song that could be the most apt that Sunday afternoon since it is the song that she will definitely dedicate to the people she hopes to serve if she wins on May 12. Post script, the band ended the night playing The Dawn’s Salamat, where they were joined by Vergara, Gaerlan and Kelly.Pigeon Lobien GILIW KO. An original of The Edralins they played during Gladys Vergara’s political rally last Sunday at the Malcolm Square.
Pigeon Lobien
