Asin (sometimes spelled ASIN, in all capital letters) is a Pinoy rock and folk rock band from the Philippines. They were formed during the 1970s and originally known as Salt of the Earth from the song of Joan Baez. They later changed their name to "ASIN", which means salt in the
Members
Lolita "NENE" Carbon
Pendong Aban, Jr. (now based in the US and has formed "Ang Grupong Pendong")
Cesar "SARO" Bañares (deceased)
Mike "NONOY" Pillora
Note: There are only 4 members of ASIN, others are all session musicians.
History
After fronting rock 'n' roll bands in her teens, Lolita Carbon met Cesar "Saro" Bañares, Mike Pillora, and Pendong Aban in Kola House, a folk-rock club, and then decided to form their own musical group, naming it "Salt of the Earth".
During the Filipino folk-rock boom in the late 1970s, they were signed to a large Philippine record label, Vicor Music, and renamed their band to Asin, consequent to a search for a female-voiced alternative to Freddie Aguilar. Their eponymous 1976 debut album included a cover version of Freddie Aguilar's "Anak", among their own original material.
Their most popular songs include the environmental "Masdan Mo Ang Kapaligiran" (Observe the Environment), "Ang Bayan Kong Sinilangan" (The Land of my Birth), "Pagbabalik" (Return) and "Balita" (News). According to Pendong Aban who grew up in Agusan del Norte, most of their songs were based on their experiences of Mindanao. Because of widespread illegal logging and violence in their hometown, they wrote lyrics that advocated for peace and a better environment. They recorded with the kulintang and other traditional instruments of the southern Philippines to render their music with a more indigenous spirit.
Asin also collaborated with other Filipino musicians, particularly in the recording project, Lokal Brown, released in 1990.
On March 18, 1993, Saro Bañares was murdered in a bar braw in South Cotabato by Atty. Gualberto Cataluña and his siblings, Joelito and Joel Castracion, caused by Bañares' refusal to sing for Cataluña. Bañares' tragedy instigated the group to part ways. Pendong Aban formed his own group, Ang Grupong Pendong; and Lolit Carbon went solo, and later formed her own group, Nene in 1991.
Lolita Carbon performed on stage back-to-back with Ang Grupong Pendong One July evening in 1999, at a concert in Bahay ng Alumni at U.P. Diliman, while waiting for their respective turns to perform in a concert for press freedom, Pendong and Lolita sat together sharing the experiences of their solo careers. They both noted the common experience of audiences clamoring for songs from their ASIN repertoire. Consequently, in 2000, they decided to reunite although Pillora backed out , albeit with the latter's consent for the new album by Carbon and Aban to be released as ASIN. The record album "Pag-ibig, Pagbabago, Pagpapatuloy", the first Asin album after 12 years, also featured unreleased material of the late Saro Bañares.
Pendong and Lolita espoused that the songs from their seven albums, having aged three decades, remained relevant and meaningful in the present times. Both recognized the need for music that relates to the present Philippine situation, both in the country of their birth or overseas; music that bespoke of Filipino dreams, aspirations, desires, heartbreak and social commentary.
Importance of Asin
Asin was the first group to incorporate Filipino indigenous instruments into pop/rock music. They also studied Filipino tribal music and did what they could to be true to the origins of the music. Instead of plagiarizing the indigenous music they set about educating people about respecting the origins of the music and representing it with agreement from the tribal sources.
Asin was also important in the political world and although they did not set out to be a political band they reflected the political message needed for the times. This should be seen against the backdrop of martial law during the time of President Ferdinand Marcos. Occasionally their recordings were confiscated as subversive, yet, on the other hand they were invited to play at the Presidential Palace.
Reference to Asin
The Tagalog lyrics of Black Eyed Peas' "The Apl Song" is based on "Balita" (Tagalog for News), one of Asin's songs. "The Apl Song" tells about the hardships of Allan Pineda, member of the Black Eyed Peas, that he experienced during his childhood in AngelesCity, Pampanga. He chose "Balita" because he grew up listening to Asin. Balita' is also sampled in a Gloc 9's 2009 album release Matrikula.
Awards
Best Folksong of the Year for “Orasyon” – AWIT Awards 1984
Best Album of the Year for “Himig ng Lahi” – AWIT Awards 1984
Album of the Year for “Himig ng Lahi – Jingle Magazine Awards 1984
Best Vocal Arrangement for Group in “Lupa” – Cecil Awards 1986
Department of Environment and Natural Resources Likas Yaman Award for “Masdan and Kapaligiran” 1991
For Lolita Carbon – Best Rock Recording for “Paraisong Liku-liko”, AWIT Awards 1990
For Pendong Aban, Jr. – Best World Music Album for “Ang Grupong Pendong – Dito Sa Lupa”
Album – Katha Music Awards 1995
Best Folksong for “Pagbabalik” – Aliw Awards 1979
Nominated as Best Rock Recording for “Usok” in the 1st Cecil Awards
Best Musical Arrangement for “Dalawang Dekada ng Asin (Overture)”, AWIT Awards 2002
Environmental Champions 2004- DENR/WORLD BANK Publication- Environmental Monitor 2004, given June 20, 2005
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Bob Ong
Bob Ong, or Roberto Ong, is thepseudonym of a Filipino contemporary author known for using conversational Filipino to create humorous and reflective depictions of life as a Filipino.
One reviewer notes (translated from the vernacular):
" Filipinos really patronize Bob Ong's works because, while most of his books may have an element of comedy in them, this is presented in a manner that replicates Filipino culture and traditions. This is likely the reason why his first book - and those that followed it, can be considered true Pinoy classics."
The six books he has published thus far have surpassed a quarter of a million copies.
The website and the pseudonym
The pseudonym Bob Ong came about when the author was working as a web developer and a teacher, and he put up the Bobong Pinoy website in his spare time. The name of the site roughly translates as "Dumb Filipino," used fondly as a diminutive term. Although impressed, Bob Ong notes, "my boss would've fired me had he known I was the one behind it." When someone contacted him after mistaking him as an actual person named Bob Ong, his famous pseudonym was born. The site received a People's Choice Philippine Web Award for Weird/Humor in 1998, but was taken down after former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada was ousted after the Second People Power Revolution.
Pseudonym Confusion
There has been occasional confusion between Bob Ong and Filipino-Chinese author Charlson Ong. However, according to Bob Ong's account in Stainless Longganisa, he is not actually Filipino-Chinese. Neither is he actually named "Ong." The family name "Ong" just evolved out of play of words that was the BobOng Pinoy website.
It has also been suggested that the poet, Paolo Manalo, is Bob Ong, but he has denied this. The books of Bob Ong are often humorous can produce feelings of nostalgia for the reader.
Another theory also states that Carlos Palanca Memorial Awardee for Literature, Prof. Eros S. Atalia, graduate of Philippine Normal University and is now a teacher in the University of Santo Tomas, is Bob Ong. He also produced two books with Visual Print Enterprise, entitled "Peksman, Mamatay ka Man Nagsisinungaling Ako" and "Lapit na me, Ligo na u". Atalia's writing style falls under a similar type Bob Ong uses. (But if you examine the context, particularly on the author's political view and religious view, Atalia is way too different from Bob Ong)
Published works
*ABNKKBSNPLAko?!(Aba, Nakakabasa na pala Ako!) (2001)
* Bakit Baligtad Magbasa ng Libro ang mga Pilipino? (2002)
* Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas (2003)
*Alamat ng Gubat (2003)
*Stainless Longganisa (2005)
*Macarthur (2007)
*Kapitan Sino (2009)
*Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan (2010)
