06/07/2025
This has to be said.
The world needs to know how Pasig City treats artists.
We’ve been silent for a few days now, but the truth must come out.
We’ve played countless events through the years. Some are memorable, some forgettable. We’ve met all kinds of organizers, from those who leave artists starving, sunburnt, and unpaid, to those who pamper them. But Pasig City?
Pasig took artist treatment to a whole new level.
So, we were invited to play at Araw ng Pasig alongside big names like Lily and Rocksteddy. Now, we’re no rookies. We’ve been around. We’ve played big venues both in Manila and out of town. But we know that we are not in the same league as those headliners. So, we came in expecting the usual treatment for artists in our level. We usually share holding areas with other artist. We are usually given packed meals. We usually play when called, given a set of rules and constantly reminded we are not the main acts.
But Pasig treated us differently.
The moment we arrived, we were escorted to our own tent. It was just for us. It was Airconditioned and comfortable. There were bouncers guarding the door like we were headliners. Para namang pagkakaguluhan kami. There was pizza for the whole crew and not just the band but for the entire crew of photographers, roadies, sound technicians. We were already happy with that. But then at 7:00 PM, a full catering team walked in. Nice!
We later dropped by the tents of Lily and Rocksteddy to say hi. And guess what? We found out that we had the exact same treatment as them. Same comfort, same catering, same security. No hierarchy. No favoritism. Whether you were a main act or an up-and-coming band, everyone was treated equally.
And then, the biggest surprise of the night:
We were told we had to do a courtesy call to the Mayor. Now, this is normal for LGU events. We were already prepping to go up the Mayor’s office when Mayor Vico Sotto himself came down to our tent. He introduced himself, smiled and welcomed us personally. Parang siya pa ang nag-courtesy call sa amin. He patiently took photos with the band and everyone who wanted a shot with him. That is humility. And this is from one of the most admired public officials in the country.
Then the show itself. It was and on time. Sadly, punctuality is a rare commodity concerts. But Pasig was on the dot.
And here’s the wildest part, something we’ve never ever seen before in any event. Concerts are usually messy: confetti on the ground, bottles and wrappers. Usually, guests are asked to clean up after. Even with that, you often leave the event grounds dirty and messy and the organizers spend the next few days cleaning up.
But in Pasig, cleaning crews were on standby. When the confetti flew they swept it right there while the show was happening and started. Walang kalat sa concert grounds. Ibang klase diba?
We’ve often voiced our concerns about the state of the music scene. If you’re not famous, you get treated like a second-class citizen. There’s an ugly kind of discrimination that happens behind the scenes. Smaller acts usually get the scrapped, ignored and disrespected. But not in Pasig. In Pasig, there was no hierarchy, no favoritism, just respect. Every artist, big or small, was given the same warmth, care, and appreciation. And that, for us, means a lot.
Kudos to Pasig City.
Mayor Vico Sotto.
Atty. Jeron Manzanero.
And the entire event team you deserve all the applause.
And this is how it should be. Other organizers, take note. Pasig just raised the bar.
📸 NXMedia
