After much anticipation, students from all around the University of the Philippines Manila gathered at the Bellagio Square, in Malate, Manila for a night of musical artistry. Last November 22, 2011, the Phi Kappa Mu Fraternity and Phi Lambda Delta Sorority held One Big Phi 2011: Fired Up! an event to showcase the future of the fraternity and sorority, by presenting the newest additions to our roster. In the past, One Big Phi started as a simple program held inside the UP College of Medicine; where brods and sisses from different batches prepared creative performances. In the past 3 years, it has evolved to a Concert open to all the students of the UP College of Medicine, featuring a variety of local acts, and big names in the OPM industry such as Stonefree, Cambio, Chilitees and Sugarfree. This year, OBP 2011: Fired Up, PHI takes the event to even greater heights by bringing it to the whole University of the Philippines Manila; organizing an Intercollege Battle of the Bands competition.

To start of the program, the PHI Band, composed of PHIs from different batches performed a few songs. This year’s PHI Band was composed of Brods Ryan Banez of PHI 2002 on lead guitar, Jimbo Baking of PHI 2007 on drums, Joshua Yabut of PHI 2008B on keyboards, Ace Alfabeto of PHI 2009 on guitar, Carlo Artiaga of PHI 2010 on vocals, and the new members Bin Chin of PHI 2010 on drums and JC Reyes from PHI 2011 on Bass. Representing our sisses of Phi Lambda Delta in the PHI Band were Rita Gollaba of PHI 2007 on bass, and Aiza Ababan of PHI 2008, Dana Santos of PHI 2011A, Gellai Ursabia and Gela Villa of PHI 2011B on vocals.

The program was hosted by brods and sisses from the newest batches; Erik Andrade Tongol, along with sisses Mia Dantes and Gela Villa. After a brief introduction of the event, the trio explained the general guidelines for the Band competition, and introduced the judges and contestants. This year 4 bands from UP Manila joined the contest, namely: I’m with Lilith, Elbert Pardiñas Band, Epimers, and Kalikot, each bringing their own brand of music to the competition.

As is tradition, each PHI batch prepares a dance number to be presented in the program. For this year’s OBP, the batches were assigned with specific periods in musical history. PHI Batch 2010, composed of the Zodiacs and Bonaphied, was up first, presenting songs from the year 2000 to present. After their presentation, the first band, I’m with Lilith took up the stage, starting the competition proper with songs; Past Praying For by Versa Emerge, Renegade by Paramore and an original composition, titled No. A UP Musicians’ Org band, they are composed of students from different colleges, namely: Zarina Orlane Lalatag, Julius Caesar Fernando, Kevin Matthew Roderno, Daniel Oliver Tondo and Ryuichi Nakamura.

Immediately following the first band, PHI Batch 2009, composed of Ninetails and 40phied presented a dance number with songs from the 90’s. The batch is made up of PHI ICCs, or 3^rd year medical students. The second band to perform was the Elbert Pardiñas Band or EPS in short. EPS is the resident band of the Organization of Area Studies Majors (OrgASM), the academic organization of the BA Social Sciences, under the CAS of UPM. They are composed of Boo Alonto on Vocals, Nico Degollado on Drums, Elbert Pardinas on Lead Guitar, Cyrus Policarpio on Rhythm Guitar, Lans Rosales on Bass Guitar. With blues and rock & roll influences, they played Beep Beep, a classic from Juan de la Cruz Band, and original compositions Sunud - Sunuran and Paz.

The PHI Clerks’, from the 4^th year class, made up of PHI Batch 2008B Payday and Sopraphinos, performed a dance next with songs from the 80’s. Following them was Band number 3: Epimers, homegrown talent of the UP College of Medicine. They consist of 1^st year students from class 2016, namely: Josiah Marasigan on Drums and Vocals, Ephraim Leynes on Bass, Leonardo Infante on Guitar, and Theodore Vesagas on Keyboards. They performed the songs, Sunday Morning by Maroon 5 and Vultures by John Mayer.

Last and most senior of the PHI batches; the Interns, made up of PHI Batches Conquistadores, Fourplay and Phinomenals presented their ance performance with songs of the 80’s. After which, the last band, Kalikot, took on stage. Composed of students from CAS, CN, CPH and Camp, Kalikot is: Cristian Ryan Argamino and Kevin Ragasa on Guitar, Glenn Michael Maglasang on Bass, EJ Rempillo on Drums and Licelle Feliz Lualhati on Vocals. They performed 3 original compositions titled Waiting on you, Under Influence, and Aba.

Next was the most awaited segment of the program, the introduction of the newest PHI batches and Performances by the Guest bands.  Sisses from batch 2011A Phireworks presented their dance number first, followed by Batch 2011B Phierce, then lastly by brods from Batch 2011 Limitless. Right after this was the highlight of the show, performances from the two guest bands, who have risen to the top of the OPM Industry, Urbandub and Tonight We Sleep.

First to perform was the Sound of the South, Urbandub, performing some of their biggest singles: Face in the Woods from their latest album The Apparition, Soul Searching from way back from the 2003 album Influence, First of Summer, probably one of their most famous songs, from the 2005 album Embrace, Evidence and Guillotine from their 2007 album Under Southern Lights.. Tonight We Sleep was up next, also leaving the audience astounded from a very memorable performance.

The final segment of the program was the Awarding of the winners of the Battle of the Bands competition.  The winners of OBP 2011: Fired Up were: Kalikot as overall champion, EPB winning 1^st runner up, and I’m with Lilith winning 2^nd runner up. Congratulations to the winners! A final performance by the Phi Band wrapped up all the events for the night. With another successful One Big PHI, this year involving the whole community of UP Manila, it marked the beginning for a new batch of brods and sisses. It can be considered as a preview of future events, proof that the future of PHI can only be Bigger. Congratulations to event head Kurt Asperas, PHI 2010, on another memorable event! All for PHI!

-by Ace Alfabeto, PHI 2009