DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/15 March) — At least 21 bands and individual performers will be featured in a three-night concert here, from March 21-23, to raise funds for the repair of 280 houses that were damaged by typhoon Pablo.
Dubbed “Panagdait Davao: Ipadayon ang Pagtabang,” the concert will be held at the Abreeza Mall.
“It is our way of making positive or good noise to raise funds for the Pablo survivors,” Colonel Leopoldo Galon, spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Eastern Mindanao Command said Wednesday at the sidelines of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) meeting.
He said the benefit concert will also “enhance the inter-agency and multi-stakeholders collaboration for humanitarian assistance and disaster rehabilitation” in the region.
Tickets, which are tax-exempt, cost P1,000, P300, and P100, Galon said, adding that at least 6,500 viewers are expected per night.
Aside from ticket sales the concert organizers also aim to get sponsorships and donations in kind.
Hope Fernandez, Mindanao coordinator of Amnesty International (AI), one of the organizers, said that their organization has worked with the AFP in relief and rehabilitation operations for the typhoon victims since December.
Galon said a part of the proceeds from the concert will cover expenses for the event, while the rest will be used to repair 280 houses to complete the target of 600 houses to be repaired by the end of March.
He said the Panagdait Teams of the Joint Task Force Tambayayong of the command have already repaired 320 houses since January in the Pablo-affected areas in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley.
He said they expect P1 million in ticket sales, which can cover 100 houses at a budget of P10,000 per house.
But, he added, donations are also expected to come in.
He cited that the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. donated P400,000 worth of construction materials. Christian Aid, a non-government organization, gave US$500, and the Social Security System sponsored P50,000 for the project.
He mentioned that some of the advertisers in the concert, particularly hotels will sponsor the accommodation of the artists.
The concert will feature Alamid, Carlos Agassi, Cueshe, Clementine, Freestyle, Gracenote, Grin Department, Join the club, Junior Kilat, Lolita Carbon, Ney Dimaculangan, Nyoy Volante, Side A, Sky Junkie, South Border, The Jerks, Tropical Depression, True Faith, Wency Cornejo, Wolfgang, and Yano. (Lorie Ann Cascaro/MindaNews)