Pinoys in CNMI hold ‘dollar concert’ for cancer victim

GARAPAN, Saipan – Tough financial times and underemployment have not deterred Filipinos in the US Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands from holding and supporting a fundraiser concert Saturday night to help defray the cost of a compatriot’s medical operation in Manila. Pilipino Contract Workers Association Inc. (Pilcowa) and United Workers Movement-NMI organized “Dollar Concert for a Cause" for overseas Filipino worker Violeta Lapuz. Lapuz, a musician in the CNMI’s capital of Saipan for 24 years, underwent surgical procedure for her stage 3 breast cancer at the Philippine General Hospital on Aug. 23. Doctors removed cancer cells in her right breast. Her common-law husband and partner at the band “Past and Present," Walden Beri, thanked the Filipino community and others in Saipan for their willingness to support Lapuz.

“Kung hindi dahil dito, wala kaming sapat na pera para mabayaran lahat ng mga gastos para sa ospital at saka sa duktor niya. Sa PGH siya inoperahan, at ang duktor niya ay taga-Manila Doctors Hospital (Were it not for this, we won’t have enough money to pay for hospital and doctor’s expenses. She was operated on at PGH, and her doctor is from Manila Doctors Hospital)," Beri told GMANews.TV at the concert venue. Beri, who is from Bicol, said they need additional $3,000 to pay for Lapuz’s medical expenses, including the cost of the operations and doctor’s fees. Event organizers said the $1-per-ticket concert raised only a little over $1,000 but they are continuing to solicit donations from the community. “As of Sunday afternoon, fund collected for Violeta is $1,052.41. Solicitation through Pilcowa is still ongoing," said Ronnie Doca, president of Pilcowa and board chair of United Workers Movement-NMI. He and UWM-NMI president Rabby Syed hope to raise more money in the days to come. Beri and Lapuz’s musician son, Dhen L. Beri, other Filipino musicians and Filipino-American teen dance groups, took turns performing in front of a small but enthusiastic crowd of overseas Filipino workers, their families, friends and other foreign workers. “We cannot afford not to do anything to help our kababayan (compatriot)," said Jerry Alcantara, one of the most sought-after musicians in Saipan. Alcantara, who is also from Marikina just like Lapuz, brought the house down with classic rock and island songs. He said he worked with Lapuz in a band in the early ‘90s. Badjhoe Tagalicud, also one of the musicians who performed at the benefit concert, said it’s always great to help others in need. “This would also earn me additional points from God," the musician from Sampaloc, Manila added. Tagalicud has been performing in many other benefit concerts in Saipan. Nhorleen Bitco, a graphic artist in Saipan, said she came to see the concert “because it’s for a good cause, to help a cancer patient." “For only a small amount, you could help someone in need. The organizers and performers did a good job," she said. Former CNMI lawmaker Tina Sablan was also among those who turned out for the benefit concert. “The burden of cancer is hard for any family. When I heard about this benefit concert, I said I would be going. I wanted to help," she said. - KBK, GMANews.TV