Araneta Coliseum (May 17, 2010) – The musical album dedicated to the Maguindanao Massacre victims recently earned Platinum Record after more than 20,000 copies were sold in just one day.

Protest Broadcast 3: The Album gathers nationalistic and inspirational songs performed by some of the country’s leading musical artists during the tribute concert at the Araneta Coliseum last May 17, 2010.  BRead Society and Able Music International awarded the Platinum Record honors to all the performers.

Speaking in behalf of the artists present during that night’s concert, veteran broadcaster Daniel Razon said he was overwhelmed by the enthusiastic and warm reception that the album and the concert received from people.

“Thank you! And in the name of all the artists, this is new to all of us. To all the supporters of Isang Araw Lang, thank you very much!” remarked Razon, who also took part in awarding plaque of appreciation to all the guest artists who contributed in the album.

Artists present to received the plaque of appreciation include Heber Bartolome, Lolita Carbon, Gary Granada, Mike Hanopol, Bayang Barrios, Cookie Chua, McKoy of Kenyo, CJ Melecio, Joey Ayala, and Noel Cabangon. These artists are well-known in the industry for the legacy they contributed in enriching Philippine culture and arts.

“There’s nothing we can do for the dead but we can do something for their families who are still alive.” Razon said during the concert. He reiterated that “doing good things will not bear bad things, and that’s what we keep on doing.”

“Whatever we experience in life, even if we are oppressed, we will continue shouting: we will do good things to all our fellowmen, even to our enemies, for this is the principle of a Christian, to do good things even to the one who harms you,” stressed the UNTV News frontman.

Razon elaborated that doing good should extend not only to one’s fellow brethren in religion, but “be it not, whatever his color is, wherever he comes from we should do goodness to everyone and I know how because I were taught these things since I was a child … and I know that’s what you also learned also, that’s why you are here now.”

Razon announced that there will be series of Protest Broadcast concerts in Cebu and Davao. “Once again, thank you very much, especially to all the artists who are here. We don’t want to end this night. Until next time,” Razon said as he bid goodbye to the estimated 20,000 people who attended the May 17 concert.

Other performers whose songs were included in the album but were not present during the concert include Lloyd Umali, Gerald Santos and Buboy Villar.  During the press conference for the concert, Bible Readers (BRead) Society International, the main organizer of the event from the idea of Daniel Razon, announced that proceeds of the Protest Broadcast concert will benefit the bereaved families of the journalists and media men massacred in Maguindanao.

According to concert organizers, Protest Broadcast 3 is a symbolic concert to mark the continuous fight for justice not only for media men of UNTV but also for all the innocent journalists who died.

Big supporters of the event include UNTV topman Larry Henares Jr., the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP), National Press Club (NPC), MWFF, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP), AFiMa, the Manila Times, Manila Business Club, Rotary Club of Kamuning, and the religious group Ang Dating Daan or Members Church of God International whose presiding minister is Bro. Eli Soriano.

Written by Michelle Lou Samson