The Cultural Center of the Philippines pays tribute to the legacy of songwriter Bing Pimentel in a one-night only concert titled Buhay…Pag-ibig…Dalangin: Mga Likhang Musika Ni Bing Ll Pimentel at the CCP Grand Lobby today, Sept. 12 at 7:00 p.m..
With Hermie Ranera as musical director and Dennis Marisigan, the concert features special performances by Isay Alvarez, Bo Cerrudo, Paw Chavez, Tex Ordonez, Martin Pimentel, and Dulce.
Bing Pimentel is one the country’s most prolific songwriters with an amazing body of work that spans five prodigious decades. She has written almost 100 songs, which are mostly love songs, religious hymns, and inspirational ballads.
Some of the unforgettable songs that Pimentel wrote include “Pag-ibig Sa Bayan,” which was recorded by Freddie Aguilar and was included in his full-length album Kamusta Ka – a song that she composed when her husband, former Sen. Nene Pimentel, was imprisoned during the Martial Law era; “Hinahanap-hanap Kita” and “Only A Moment” which were recorded by Dulce; and “Bakit Kaya” and “Itay” which were recorded by Nora Aunor.
The 80-year-old songwriter also created the libretto and songs of such original Filipino musicales as “Buhay Ay Isang Awit,” “Cory The Musicale,” “Huwag Pumayag Sa Dagdag Bawas,” and “Nasaan Si Jesus?” which were recently re-staged for the 80th time last Aug. 18 for the birthday of Brother Mike Velarde of El Shaddai.
Buhay…Pag-ibig…Dalangan aims to honor the achievements of senior citizens and to encourage them to be part of meaningful projects. The concert also promotes one of Pimentel’s newest projects called “PasaLord,” a non-sectarian movement that advocates the power of prayer to unite the country with one goal: to pass all happiness, worries, sorrows, joys, failures, and victories to the Lord in order to glorify Him.