Kap & I have always been fans of APO a.k.a. The APO Hiking Society. My favorite song is “PANALANGIN“, feel na feel ko talaga yang kantang yan. <3 Parang sinulat just for me & my Kap hehe.

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We were super sad when the trio Jim, Buboy & Danny decided to retire in 2009 due to “diminishing creative process” daw, whatever that means. </3  Siguro napagod na rin sila sa 40 years na tinakbo ng grupo. All their songs are feel-good & relatable, donchu agree? They may not have the best singing voices, but they have THE BEST songs, diba? Catchy & madaling kantahin. Sayang talaga.

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The Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society, later popularly known as APO Hiking Society, or simply APO, is a Filipino musical group created in 1969 at the Ateneo de Manila high school with 12 original members. The group’s name was created from the acronym AMHS representing their school & having an irreverent reference to the paralyzed Philippine revolutionary intellectual and hero, Apolinario Mabini. It was later shortened to “Apo”, an Ilocano term for a wise man or a Tagalog term of grandchildren, and later re-branded to “APO”. After graduating high school, the majority of its members left to pursue individual careers, with only three members remaining: Jim Paredes, Boboy Garovillo and Danny Javier. To date, the trio has released 27 albums in four decades of its career.

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The story of APO..

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For our 25th anniversary, I decided to buy tickets to the musical as a surprise to Kap. Mej nag-alanganin ako coz I know he appreciates concerts. But musicals? Erm, not so much. I was banking nalang on the all-APO songs to get us through.

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Truth be told, the producers could have chosen a better location for this production. The seats in Maybank Theater are TINY & so uncomfortable with little to no legroom. We were all cramped like sardines for THREE solid hours huhu. Nagkataon pang chunky kami pareho nung katabi kong mama sa kaliwa, so nagdidikit lagi yung mga pata-pata namin, ew. ;)) You can still buy your tickets HERE.

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Normally for our dates, we’d watch a movie & eat out before or after. Simple lang, mababaw ang kaligayahan namin. But of course, I wanted our 25th anniversary naman to be a bit special.

Long before, we already agreed to a lowkey anniversary celebration kasi nga nag-US trip na kami buong pamilya for our 25th & joint 50th birthdays –napakadugo po ng gastos Kuya Eddie. Pero a milestone is a milestone. Kaya kahit papaano gusto ko naman ng medyo kakaiba. ;))

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“Panalangin ko, sa habang buhay. Makapiling ka, makasama ka, yan ang panalangin ko. At hindi papayag ang pusong ito, mawala ka sa ‘king piling Mahal ko iyong dinggin..” You & Me forever Kapitan K, wala ka nang lusot.

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Eto Na, Musical nAPO! features favorite songs from the APO Hiking Society, and is showing throughout February and March (Feb 2 – March 17, extended until the 31st), 2019 8:00pm on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, and an extra matinee show at 2:30pm on Saturdays & Sundays at the Globe Auditorium, Maybank Performing Arts Theater. This is their 2nd run, actually, so must be good, right? Para tumakbo uli ng 2nd season?

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The musical tells the story of the APO Hiking Society’s barkada back in the 70s (originally 12, pared down to 7 men whose stories are featured in the musical. Then finally down to 3: Jim, Buboy & Danny), who joined a song-writing and singing contest for college students. Composing the perfect song and assigning who best to write and arrange it proves a challenge to the barkada, aside from the individual problems some members have with their girlfriends, love interests, parents and studies, and the then political turmoil of Martial Law.

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Cast members includes Mark Bautista, Jon Philippe Go, Jobim Javier (son of APO’s Danny Javier), Alfritz Blanche, Jef Flores, Jon Abella, Vyen Villanueva, Rita Daniela, Marika Sasaki, Sab Jose, Raul Montesa, and Neomi Gonzales. Also part of the ensemble are Gian Gloria, Shalee Vicencio, Peachy Atilano-Guevara, Anton Posadas, Jourdan Bartolome, and Derrick Gozos. To you theater goers, you might know some of these names. Coz obviously, I don’t hahaha.

We watched from the Balcony, or Zone C priced at 2,665 php. Pwede na since the theater was small lang naman at pare-pareho ang legroom ng mga upuan, Kitang-kita actually yung stage. Besides, we were after the music, not the stage actors hehe.

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The low-budget musical was long, and there were times I nodded off hehe kasi hindi talaga ako ma-musical na tao (remember even the high-production LION KING in London I also nodded off. So its not them, its me). ;P But overall, Kap & I enjoyed our very rare night of art appreciation. ;)) Kunwari cultured at sosyal kami.

Bumawi naman si Kap my Kap, at may flowers & nakakakilig na greeting card akong natanggap! 😉

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33 years into our relationship, kinikilig pa rin ako pag may ganyang para-paraan. 🙂

I’m a rose kind of gal but these Stargazers & Tulips are just as beautiful at mas matagal actually ang buhay. I’m so loving my floral arrangement especially since namukadkad na sila at lumabas na ang tunay na kagandahan. Aside from symbolizing the everlasting love between a couple, the Stargazer means success in a financial sense too. So may shopping kayang kasama itong mga bulaklak, Honey ko? ;))

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Kanta nga ng APO: Wala nang iba pang mas mahalaga, sa tamis na dulot ng pag-ibig natin dal’wa. At sana nama’y makikinig ka, kapag aking sabihing minamahal kita.

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Happy 25 my one true love! <3 You are the reality to my dream, and the answer to my prayer. My love for you is beyond forever. :-*