Tara! Let's Rock! A Benefit Show for Tara Santelices
Ateneans to hold benefit show for Tara Santelices by KAREN FLORES, abs-cbnNEWS.com | 03/17/2009 11:43 AM
On her 23rd birthday last year, political science graduate Antonia Marina "Tara" Santelices of the Ateneo de Manila University was shot in the head in a jeepney holdup incident.
Seven months later, Santelices stirs to life, recovering from the wounds she sustained from the gunshot. Her hospital bills, however, have reached as much as P2.6 million.
To help cover for Santelices' medical expenses, her coursemates from the Ateneo have organized a benefit show to be held Wednesday night at the Puti Bar and Grill at Timog Avenue, Quezon City.
Called "Tara! Let's Rock! A Benefit Show for Tara Santelices," the event will feature bands and artists such as Twitch, Empty Siren Boulevard, Astrojuan, Ephesus, Boy Elroy, The Out of Body Special, and Miguel Escueta. It will be hosted by Atenean Lia Cruz and DJ Pat Jamlang of Magic 89.9.
"She's a fellow student, a fellow batchmate, and a coursemate at that. And our course taught us to work for justice, to work for others. So me, Vince (Tablante), and Francis (Rodriguez), along with Manna (Leano), a friend of ours organized this event. Manna's not from Ateneo but she worked for Gawad Kalinga, so she also knows the true value of helping someone," Ice dela Cruz, one of the organizers, told abs-cbnNEWS.com.
Santelices herself is part of the music scene as guitarist of her band called Saffron Speedway. She is also half of electronica duo Stormy with Joee Mejias, the last friend Santelices was with during the holdup incident.
"When she was still active in the music scene, she agreed to help me with events. So this is like kind of giving back," dela Cruz said.
Santelices is also a member of a non-governmental organization called Upland Marketing, a small microfinance NGO which helps women put up businesses in the rural areas. According to dela Cruz, she also has dreams of working for the United Nations.
"We're still young, we should have a chance to fulfill our dreams," she said.
The fund-raising gig is sponsored by San Miguel Infinit, with ticket prices at P200 each, inclusive of one free beer. All proceeds from the show will be used to pay for Santelices' expenses.
"She's a girl with so much potential. If she gets to survive everything, she may be a good role model for the youth," dela Cruz said.
For more information on the event, contact Ice dela Cruz (09175310393) or Vince Tablante (09175384623).
