Samahan Children’s Choir
“MAKE A DIFFERENCE”
Produced by:
Samahan Cultural Heritage – Eastern Seaboard, Inc.
Choir Director: Armand Avila
Artists/Composers: Dexter Amistad, Armand Avila,
Bernard Quisumbing, Christopher Mallari
Mastered by: John Forrestal at Subterranean Studios, Edison NJ
Cover Art Designer: Katrina
Taningco
Photography: Courtesy
of Samahan Archives &
Danny Ocampo
The Samahan Cultural Heritage – Eastern Seaboard, Inc. (“Samahan”) produced this CD for the benefit of the American Cancer Society. It is through Rita Canonizado, the present President of the Samahan that pursued this long awaited venture
of creating the Samahan Children’s Choir with Armand Avila as their Choral Director and with Dexter Amistad, Christopher
Mallari & Bernard Quisumbing as the other composers… sharing their music for this CD towards a worthwhile cause. Indeed, cancer has affected many people in the world, some overcoming it and unfortunately,
for some losing their loved ones. It is because the Samahan has been concerned
about one of the world’s ruthless killers, cancer… that has affected everyone either directly or indirectly that
they decided to fight the disease. Through this CD, the Samahan Children’s
Choir and the other composers expresses their feelings about cancer through music and giving back their share to the American
Cancer Society to help them through medical research and other related work so that someday this disease will be just a another
medical history of the past.
Thank you to: the Samahan officers: Rita Canonizado, Hector Javier, Fely
Avila, Bellie Flores, Ester Maulit, Ligaya Aba, Bibs DeChavez, Cahty Fidelino, Miriam Ardiente, Azon DeChavez, Tess Mallari,
Precy Marban, Raymond Ardiente, Ed Fabe, Mark Marban & Antonio Quimpo; all of the parents of the Samahan Children’s
Choir; families & friends; the Agateps (Butch, Barnabie, Michelle, Karen & Raquel (Rocky); the Alcudias
(Ariel & Rosane, Alyssa, Alyster), the Alcudias (Eleanor & Buboy, Dane, Wendy); the Amistads (Caloy & Mayang,
Dex & Lo, Jaden, Kayla, Joe & Christine, Joann); the Ardientes (Ray & Miriam, Nicolette, Ryan); the Avilas (Armand
& Fely, Marvin, Matthew, Bernadette); the Canonizados (Jesus & Dolores, Rita); the Chinjens (Bob & Malou, Kenneth,
Steven); Rosario De Castro; the Cortezs (Ramon & Karen, Mhorena, Marxcelle & Jenny Capa); the DeChavezs (Bibs &
Azon, Maizza, Aimee); the Fabes (Ed Susan, Glendyll, Abigail, Sherwin, Spencer); the Flores (Romy & Bellie, Ysabelle &
Marvin); the Hansens (Albert & Nerizza, Kimberly, Michael); the Hussains (Tahir & Suzie, Salman, Adnan, Sarah); the
Jalacs (Fords & Nanette, Aisha, Florianne); the Javiers (Hector & Rhodora, Jonas, Aaron, Yves); the Mallaris (Mario
& Tess, Chris, Marites); the Marbans (Mark & Precy, Christine, Roxanne, Jason); the Maulit’s (Ester, Gabe, Joanne,
Raymundo & Flor, Mariflor, Scott, Gabriel, Ian, Maristelle, Tim, Mikayla); the Quimpos (Bambie & Banang, Bridgette,
Ian & Bernadette, Brendon, Justin & Bianca, Jordan); the Quisumbings (Sonny & Vicky, Jennifer, Bernard, Michael,
David); the Songcuans (Joel, Connie & Rowena); the Syjongtians (Sam & Edna, Ashley, SJ); the Syjongtians (Simeon &
Alleli, Symon G); Ernie & Virgie Cerda; Cagayan Valley Association of the Eastern Seaboard, Inc. (Viscaisano); Joseph
& Christine Amistad; Eng. Freddie Antonio & Dr. Excelsis O. Antonio; Kala and Kamalakar Ayyagari, MD; Binangonan Association
of Eastern USA; Binangonan Association of Southern Association; Botolan Eastern Coast Association USA (BECA); Roberto Feliciano,
MD & Milagros Feliciano, MD; I.C.U. and 6 South Nursing Staff; BECA Botolan East Coast Association USA; Francisco M. Guballa,
Jr., Esq., Sylvia Pagulayan-Guballa, MD; Victor Reyes (AXA Network); the Javier-Valecruz family; the Holgado family (Mont
Ray, Lani, Sydney, Adam & Donovan); the Baņaga-Claros family (Ting, Boyette,
Cedric, Shari & Eugene); the Baņaga-Balanalyos family (Myrna, Jess, Cyrus & Krystle); the Blancas-Baņaga family (Hector,
Marissa, Monique & Jonathan); the Wienckoski family; the Ocampos (Juanita, Noel, Abigail); the Espiritus (Dom, Jane, Michael
& Marites); 1st2nd Mortgage Co. of NJ Inc.; Trinitas Hospital: I.U.C. and 6 South Nursing Staff; PHIL-AM COLONIA; Century
21 (Tahir Hussain); Technical Driving School (Susie Catangui Hussain); Banana Republic (Menlo Park Mall); Aurora’s Hair
Port III (Aurora del Rosario & Rossana D. Ignacio); Diane Velardo & Margaret George; English Department, Carteret
High School; Mr. & Mrs. Edgardo Borja; Rick & Cel Dumapit; Ben & Thelma Silerio; Mr. & Mrs. Marlon Dauz &
family; MASAGANA ENTERPRISES (Noli Chavez & Family & the Masagan Staff); the Ahn family (Sang Beohm Ahn, Bosook Ahn,
Christine & Jane); the Conti family; Emy Javier & family; the Tolentino Family (Rommie & Cora, Abby, Mark, Skye,
Gabriel, Mark, Rachel & Jakin Cedric); the Smith Family (Agnes, Chris, Sam & Matthew Smith); The Laboratory of America
Corp. (Armi BN. Lasola, Veronica Ramhi, Rose Cruz, Rosalina Malinis, Imelda Mercado, Marie Aboyme, Elvie Dalida, Mila Restan,
Merly Gido, Rachelle Almerante, Wilma, Connie & Sarah); BLD Friends (Reuben Vibar, Ronnie Macaidsa, Kevin Larobis, Cherry
Vibar, Abigail Ocaya, John Alonzo, Fex Gongob, Ed Magadia, Joey & Linda, Viola, Julieet Mabalot, Nora Lopez); Prudential
(Conrado (Ron) Malalis); Trinitas Hospital, 7th South Night Shift Staff (Fe, Rexy, Ramon, Ate Jo & Alma); Mr. & Mrs.
Danilo Ocampo; Mahesh R. Desai, M.D., P.A.; Lucia’s Pizza, Carteret, NJ; AMERITAX, Piscataway, NJ; Dr. Pilar Tan; Gloria
R. Perez-Altamira; Brett & Beth Fields; Joel & Annelyn Flores & Kids; Norma M. Malamug; Lelinda Escobar; Maureen
Grenevich; The Reading Lab Advantage; Mr. Jose Labayen; the Millman Family (Mary, Gerry & Robert); the Tolentino Family
(Willie & Julie, Oliver, Maja, Theo, Valeine, Kat, Anna & Luel); Tito Pio, Tita Niza, Phoebe, Luke & Elize Oliverio,
the Reyes Family (Brigett, Jim, Carlo & Dee-Jay); Yolie Bautista; Lila Reyes; Mert Buan
Art Cover Story by
Katrina Taningco:
“Born as a Filipina and raised
as an American, to an entrepreneur father Harry and to a physician mother Cecille. The first 6 years of my life was climbing
trees, watching and chasing animals on my mom's farm and playing in the rain. So
nature, along with my dad's passion with watercolor paintings and my mom's inventiveness of creating our birthday invitations,
inspired my very first drawing of a chicken in preschool. I graduated from Rider
University with BA in Fine Arts, concentration in Studio Art. Presently working
as an Instructional Aide, my goal is to share self-expression. Wherever I am
in life, creating art has always saved me.
When Tita Mayang asked me to create a design for this CD project, an image of a white lotus flower flashed in my mind. The lotus is a universal symbol with similar meanings from America, Asia, to
Egypt. The ancient Egyptians, for example, have witnessed the white lotus rise
from the bottom of dried-up waterbeds which became the symbol of rebirth and strength.
Cancer can strike anyone without age, gender, or race discrimination. The
white lotus flower as our symbol gives us hope and compassion, within ourselves and to those who are threatened by this horrible
disease, in order to conquer it together. Lavender was used in the background
symbolizing the general color for cancer. I would like to dedicate this
artwork to Tita Uding, to my belated Lolo Jose, those who were victims of some form of cancer, and to their families. Thank you to Tita Mayang and Samahan for allowing me to express myself."
