Category Archives: Personal

Rainmakers: The men behind the jingles

I had a little chat with the members of the Rainmakers sometime in March 2001 for an election-related assignment. The group, who popularized the ballad “Binibini” in the 70’s, was active in doing (writing and performing) political campaign jingles then.

“While the time is not right for making a comeback, there should be something to keep busy at,” Luke said in an interview.

“Were more open to jingle making because there are more demand to this, mas madalas kasi ang kinukuha ngayon to do shows are the new ones.”

The Rainmakers. From left, Joel Macanaya, Luke Gaston, *Courier reporter, Joseph Lansang. Mon Villanueva was not present during the interview. Picture taken at their studio.

The Rainmakers is the voice and brains behind the campaign jingles of several known politicians including that of showbiz couple (former Senator) Bong Revilla and (Mayor) Lani Mercado.

Here’s the excerpts of our chat:

Courier: Does it always follow that jingles should suit the personality of candidate?

Luke Gaston: Sa lyrics, andoon na dapat ang power points.

For example, iniisip ko gawan ng jingle si Senator Juan Flavier (former DOH Secretary). It would a comedy approach, the tune would be something funny and witty, like the ditty “Pop Goes the Weasel.” It’s funny but it does not necessarily mean that there is no power point. Ang maganda ay ‘yung dumidikit sa mind ng masa.

One example is Loren’s (Senator Legarda) campaign jingle, which goes “Loren, Loren, sinta, instead of “leron, leron, sinta.” Very simple, very elementary.

If if would be for (Senator) Enrile, dapat medyo dignified.

Courier: How important are jingles to candidates?

Joel Macanaya: You have to capture everything in 30 seconds, you have to convey a message in 30 seconds.

In political jingle, we do one adaptation and one original song for the client. The original song or jingle should stick and identify with the candidate.

You have the power point, you have the good lyrics, you have the good things to say, but would it stick to the mind of the listener.

I think we are successful in terms of conveying what our clients want to express through our songs.

Many of our clients have won the election. The secret, maybe, is effectiveness.

The jingles, we suggest should be fast or with a little marching tune. People should be able to know the lyrics of the song and easy to memorize.

A simple campaign jingle in the early 2000 costs P75,000 for 30 seconds. If it is adaptation P45,000. For a full-length song, P100,000 to P150,000.

*I have worked with Courier, the Philippine Journalists Incorporated flagship newspaper in 2000. This article was published in March 3, 2001.

Why Pay for Dating Sites?

Should you pay or should you not pay? This is something that you ponder on when you check out some dating websites. There are some that are available for free in the beginning but if you want to get premium features, you also need to pay more. There are some online dating sites that will get quite a bit of your money every month. Some people say that it is worth it though.

A lot of people still prefer checking out online dating sites that offer paid services but there are also some who try out free websites. They want to see if there are some differences. For the majority of people who have checked out paid and free online dating websites, they realize something – paid websites are better because they get to meet individuals that they are more inclined to be attracted to because of different reasons.

Dating is an Investment

Think about dating as some sort of investment. When you invest just a little bit of money, expect that you are only going to get small returns. You can try out a lot of online dating websites but do not expect that you will meet the love of your life there. It can happen but your chances are not that great.

How many times have your expectations been crushed because of potential lovers that did not work out? You try your best not to become affected. Yet, every time something happens, you become sad and forlorn. Your experience at dating sites can be improved as long as you would pay for some important services.

These are some other reasons why you need to pay for dating sites:

  • Expect that when you avail of the services of free dating websites, you will also be matched with people who are also very cheap. This means that they are not willing to pay for your actual dates if the time would come when you would meet.
  • You may be matched with people that you have nothing in common with just for the sake of being matched with someone.
  • It can be annoying to get countless emails from free dating websites that will not help you find the person that you want to date for a long time.

When you pay for the services of a dating website, you will meet people who are also paying for the same services. This will let you know that the person is more serious about finding the “right” person that he/she would like to date.

Choosing Dating Sites

It can be hard to pick the right dating site that you will pay for but online dating sites are always rampant. There are some that are meant to be better than others. You are recommended to check some reviews about the website. Steer clear from websites that have received a lot of negative reviews. You can also ask other people that you know regarding the websites that they frequent. The moment that you try a paid dating website, you will see the differences and you will not have any regrets.

Brief Analysis of Laser Tattoo Removal Costs at The Finery

Are you thinking of removing an unwanted tattoo? How much tattoo removal costs? You should consider the cost of the procedure. It will be determined by among other factors, the type of ink used and the expertise of the surgeon removing it. It is a good idea to consider the pricing strategy of the facility. Doing so can help you know the right facility to seek laser tattoo removal at an affordable cost. In order to give a rough estimate of a tattoo removal cost, an assessment of the tattoo will be required. At The Finery, they consider the skin tone, the age and the health conditions of an individual. These factors determine the success rate of the removal process.

In some cases, a tattoo removal may require more than six treatment sessions. This will ultimately affect the cost of tattoo removal. But the cost should not deter you from removing it. You will enjoy a peace of mind if you get rid of an unwanted tattoo. With the advanced laser technology, and multiple tattoo removal locations, tattoo removal process has been made easier. If you seek the service from a well trained and experienced practitioner, you will have the tattoo removed easily and at an affordable rate. The Finery is one of the leading tattoo removal facilities in the United States. Check out the Finery for tattoo update.