Bulyaw Mariguen & Matinlo Productions (Tengued sa Bulyaw & Matinlo)

BULYAW MARIGUEN- HOW IT WAS FORMED

It was in the year 2007 when Popoy dela Torre, Franz Abid, Philip Abid and Topz Perez (all Cuyonons) decided to make four (4) original rock songs using the Cuyonon language. Popoy dela Torre (bassist of Bulyaw Mariguen) and Franz Abid (lead guitarist of Bulyaw Mariguen) at that time belonged to a different band (Kannayus) when Topz Perez (who just came back from Israel) wrote PLONING ADIN KA REN and asked Popoy dela Torre if he wanted to add music to the melody and CUYONON lyrics that he was already able to create. Popoy dela Torre then suggested that they get Franz Abid as their lead guitarist (since Franz's musical influence is more contemporary) and with the 3 of them combined they only needed a good drummer.

Philip, brother of Franz Abid (who can sing and play the guitar, piano and drums) was sleeping near Franz Abid at the time that Popoy, Topz and Franz decided to form a band and so he was awakened by Franz and asked if he wanted to be the drummer of the band. Using his savings in Israel, Topz, Popoy, Franz and Philip recorded their first 4 Cuyono rock and acoustic songs namely PLONING ADIN KA REN (OH PLONING, WHERE ARE YOU?); BISARA Y LOLA; MIDYO KANO LAMANG; SA MARAYENG LUGAR. And that simple move became the band's FIRST BIG STEP in HAVING AN ALBUM PRODUCED AND RELEASED in Palawan.

BULYAW MARIGUEN- REASON FOR MAKING MUSIC IN CUYONON

Initially, Bulyaw Mariguen created their songs only as a means to have fun and to produce songs in their own language for their friends and families. [Cuyonons live far away from their families (due to lack of jobs in the island of Cuyo, Palawan)].

But what started out as EXPLICIT FUN became a more serious endeavor when Joey Fabello of Matinlo Productions got a copy of their cd through her cousin, Dale Abid, when she went to Cuyo, Palawan last January 2008.

BULYAW MARIGUEN AND MATINLO PRODUCTIONS

Joey Fabello at that time was planning to apply as a radio jockey in IFM 99.9 Palawan and when she got a copy of the band's cd and got the job as one of IFM 99.9's radio jockey, she asked IFM 99.9'S PROGRAM DIRECTOR (DJ REGIE) if it was possible to broadcast the songs of Bulyaw Mariguen. DJ Regie, seeing that the band's songs are of broadcast quality and being surprised that such a genre of Cuyonon music existed, agreed to broadcast the first 4 songs of Bulyaw Mariguen at IFM 99.9.

After having the broadcasting of Bulyaw Mariguen's songs approved, Joey Fabello, tried to contact the members of Bulyaw Mariguen individually to ask for their approval of the broadcasting of their songs and to ask if they wanted to do a project with her. At that time, Topz Perez and Popoy dela Torre were busy shooting the Cuyono film PLONING, thus, Topz and Popoy (the older members of the band) weren't able to communicate with Joey Fabello.

After a few months of working as a radio jockey, Joey Fabello went to Italy to study a master's degree called cultural projects for development where she finalized a project proposal called CUYONON CONTEMPORARY MUSIC: Music as a means to address cultural loss. During that time, Bulyaw Mariguen also decided to record 2 new songs (Amos Tangay Tangway and Guegma-Rock Version) which they thought would be a good addition to their songs in IFM so they tried to contact Joey Fabello. But being in Italy she instead facilitated for the band's 2 new songs to be broadcasted through IFM through the help of DJ GURU and DJ REGIE of IFM.

During that time (November of 2008) as well, Jason Laxamana of Kamaru Productions, a close friend of Joey Fabello and a fellow advocate of the promotion and development of Philippine regional languages, was already directing different music videos of Kapampangan songs. During one of their online conversations, Joey Fabello asked Jason Laxamana if he wanted to direct a music video for Bulyaw Mariguen and Jason agreed to do the job.

January of 2009, Joey Fabello came back to Palawan and asked Bulyaw Mariguen if they wanted to have a music video produced by her and by Jason Laxamana of Kamaru Productions, a proposal which Popoy dela Torre of Bulyaw Mariguen, accepted.

BULYAW MARIGUEN- ALBUM PRODUCTION

Initially, Joey Fabello only wanted to produce a music video for the band. But seeing that such a project doesn't provide tangible support to the band, she endeavored to produce the album of the band (composed of 13 songs in Cuyonon), to fully promote the band by facilitating radio, tv and event guestings of the band, by setting up online accounts of the band and by producing radio commercials for the band, and to produce the band's first music video.

Last June 5, 2009, Joey Fabello registered her production company with the Department of Trade and Industry under the name matinlo productions and with Bulyaw Mariguen (the album project) as her first project.

CHECK OUT A RECORD OF BULYAW MARIGUEN'S RADIO GUESTING AT DYPR PALAWAN RADYO'S RONDA PALAWAN (PROGRAM OF MR. ROUEL CARALIPIO)- IN CUYONON!CLICK THE PLAY BUTTON!

Bulyaw Mariguen Gets Featured at DYPRS Ronda Palawan AM Radio PROGRAM - Bulyaw Mariguen