Next Gen BBM-Sara holds free concert, prays for fair, honest election

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY -- The leaders and supporters of the BBM-Region 7 parallel groups gathered at its Cebu headquarter, Thursday for a mass to pray for a fair and honest election and holds a free and fun concert for the youth, Friday, May 6 at the Hoops Dome Arena in Lapu-lapu City organized by the Next Gen BBM-Sara with Lapu-lapu City mayor Junard Chan and Cordova mayor Teche Sitoy-Cho.

Arch. Clive Aaron Guanzon, Marketing Head of BBM-Region 7 Headquarter told the media in a press conference after the mass that they consider the mass as its spiritual avenue to pray for fair and honest election.

"Hopefully, our relationships will be mended as there are a lot of conflicts which took place due to the election, within the family, within the community. We're just hopeful that through this mass, we'll pray for the candidates and the voters," Guanzon added.

 Kevin Lim, BBM-Cebu Events Organizer, in an interview bared that the Next Gen BBM-Sara with mayors Chan and Cho organized the Uniteam Youth Concert Friday, May 6 to raise awareness that the Uniteam considers the youth as one of its utmost priorities now and even after the elections, especially when BBM gets the presidency.  The BBM-Sara Tandem aims to lessen poverty by providing concrete educational programs for the youth.

"This is just the start because once BBM will become president, more programs on education and skills training for the youth will be launched.  The youth are the leaders of our future so we have to guide them well.  We hope that the youth will enjoy the free concert, have fun, and be safe," Lim said.

The Uniteam Youth Concert expects some 15,000 attendees and those that cannot be accommodated inside the arena, they can still enjoy outside the concert because organizers are putting up LED wall and speakers outside the venue.

BBM Youth sponsored concert welcomes everyone, the musical event targets the youth regardless if they're voters or not.  Youth groups from the various BBM Parallel groups will attend the concert including Lapu-Lapu City-based youth groups. "We're looking at around 400 youth groups in Lapu-Lapu," Lim stated.

Both local and national Filipino celebrities will perform during the concert including Jason Fernandez, Midnasty, Powerspoonz, AL Moralde, and DJ John Bosque. MC Rey of the Brownian Method will be hosting the concert, Lim revealed.

To ensure the safety of everyone attending the event, certain security, health, and safety protocols are implemented. Security personnel and marshals are designated all over the arena. Videos showing the platforms of both BBM and Sara are also presented during the event.

The organizers are expecting to hold the concert for 4 to 5 hours. Lucky on-goers will receive Uniteam merchandise such as t-shirts, and caps. The BBM Region 7 Headquarters held a youth concert last year at Carcar City. Another concert was organized but was canceled due to Typhoon Agaton. The Uniteam Youth Concert in Lapu-Lapu City is the third and last youth concert organized by the group.

Meanwhile, Guanzon bared that various flyers indicating black propaganda against BBM have been circulating in provincial areas within Cebu as the day of the election comes closer. They do not know where the papers came from.

"We don't want to point fingers regarding the flyers with malicious materials. I'm encouraging all voters to go out and vote and we are reminding everyone to follow the rules set by the COMELEC.  Let's be early and be patient at the voting centers. Let's respect and love one another with our decisions," Guanzon said.

The BBM Region 7 Headquarters group reminds all voters to be responsible and be aware of black propaganda.  The group currently focuses on strengthening its vote protection efforts with its “Sea of Reds” monitoring and safeguarding the votes on May 9.