SFA-AGR-194-08

RONDALLA COURSE OPENS IN SINGAPORE

26 March 2008 – The Philippine Bayanihan Centre in Singapore launched the inaugural session of the Rondalla Course on 23 March in a simple ceremony held at the Centre premises in Bukit Panjang, Singapore.

The plan to offer the course for Filipinos in Singapore was hatched by Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Belen F. Anota and members of the Philippine Bayanihan Society in Singapore (PBSS) led by its President Dean Roberto Mariano of the Singapore Management University (SMU) School of Economics in their desire to help maintain interest in the rondalla as a unique instrument of Philippine music.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, Minister and Consul General Maria Lumen Isleta expressed gratitude to those who have contributed to make the course a reality including Prof. Joe Peters of the National University of Singapore (NUS), who undertook his post-Graduate degree in Music at the University of the Philippines (UP). Prof. Peters had established a rondalla ensemble in the NUS twenty (20) years ago

She also thanked Mr. Romy Lacandazo, the volunteer teacher for the course, who used to head a rondalla ensemble in the Philippines before coming to Singapore to work as an aircraft mechanic. Minister Isleta expressed the hope that the launching will encourage Filipinos in Singapore including children of permanent residents to learn playing the various instruments of the rondalla, which are said to have their origins in the Philippines, and that through the course, they would also learn to love traditional Filipino music and help propagate a greater appreciation of it and the Filipino culture in general.

The donation of eighteen (18) rondalla instruments by the Philippine Department of Tourism and Duty Free Philippines, Inc. was undertaken through the efforts of Philippine Embassy led by Ambassador Anota, and Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano. END

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