Gang Badoy sits erect and fiddles gently with a black shirt. She holds it up to me as she proudly displays the one-liner. “Anti Kris Aquino” it reads. “I made it myself,” she cheerfully exclaims. I stare in awe. One line and she has me immersed in her world.

      As founder of Rock Ed, an NGO designed to help eliminate poverty and in a more specific sense, address the current lag in the public education system, Ms. Badoy is among the new breed of women: individualistic, eloquent and driven. While juggling our persistent questions and greeting fellow friends in the music business, she gladly narrates the reason on why she has readily accepted Xavier’s offer to collaborate with Rock Ed via an advocacy concert.

      “The Xavier boys were organized and focused,” she quips. She mentions how she liked the fact that the Xaverians who organized the event already had specific goals in mind. I smile and try to hide my pride of being a Xaverian.

      Being assigned to interview performers of the said event, I was looking forward for the rare chance to see not only the audience members’ perspective on the advocacy concert but also the performers’. After interviewing several performers, the verdict: most couldn’t care less. Most performers simply treated the event as another gig: another location to showcase their talents. “Were just here for the music,” Kjwan honestly declares.

      On the other side of the spectrum, the audience was too busy howling and rooting for their favorite bands to notice that it was actually an advocacy concert. Being a student myself, I understood the students’ stance. Who really cares if this is an advocacy concert? Gang Badoy’s speeches and the bands’ spiels could have lasted for three-fourths of the variety show but what the audience paid for is a great event.

      As a whole, the advocacy concert was a hodgepodge of feelings. To others, it was an earnest attempt to elevate an ordinary concert into a concert with a cause. This was the first time in Xavier history that a simple variety show was transformed into a campaign to elevate the current public school education system. To others, it was too ambitious. Inviting too many skilled performers was a formula for disaster. Indeed some bands extended beyond their timeslots and some performers, due to time constraints, were cut from the concert.

      So maybe the performers just wanted to share their music. And maybe the audience was only there to have a great time. But although unknowingly, both parties’ actions will carry on long-term effects on others be it the physical effects in the public school sector to the physiological effects on those who witnessed the event. Maybe it was ambitious and maverick. But who can stop a dreamer from dreaming.

      As Ms. Badoy calls a member of the audience on to the stage, she checks to see if the person has been enlightened by the RockEd cause. “What do you envision for the Philippines ?”

      Awkward silence.

      “World peace,” the boy timidly answers. The crowd erupts with laughter and cheers him on. Ms. Badoy politely joins in the laughter and reiterates the current state of the Philippines and the role of the youth. She then proceeds to ask the same question again albeit in a more serious manner. “So what do you envision for the Philippines ?”

      “World peace!” the boy now announces with pride. Somewhere, somehow, his honest attempt just seems to highlight the fact that maybe the concert was too ambitious and maybe too ahead of its time, but here’s a start. Maybe, just maybe, tomorrow it won't be the same.

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