Chito Miranda revealed that Parokya ni Edgar and other musicians will hold fundraising gigs for the band’s guitarist, Gab Chee Kee.
According to Miranda, “Gabriel was diagnosed with lymphoma late last year, and has been undergoing chemotherapy for the past few months.”
He added, “Unfortunately, due to complications brought about by his condition, he is now battling pneumonia and was recently transferred sa ICU and has been intubated for more than a week already.”
Miranda also said, “He was financially prepared naman for the chemotherapy… but now, his family needs help with the overwhelming hospital bills.”
He revealed that Parokya ni Edgar and musician friends will be doing a series of fundraising gigs, noting that most won’t be announced as fundraisers. Miranda said, “Tahimik lang sila na tutulong. (pasenya na, guys, kung in-announce ko na, ha? I know that ang initial usapan natin was not to disclose the details… pero paano makakatulong yung mga nagmamahal kay Gab na nais tumulong, kung di nila alam?)”
[They will just be silently helping (I’m sorry, guys, if I announced it, okay? I know that our initial conversation was not to disclose the details… but how can the people who love Gab help if they don’t know?)”]
The musician did not say who will be doing the gigs, but he did thank Ebe Dancel, Kamikazee, Gloc-9, Shanti Dope, Flow G, Gracenote, December Avenue, POT, Moonstar88, and Moira Dela Torre.
The heart of the band
Photo / Chito Miranda
In his post, Miranda said that Chee Kee is the heart of the band and “it doesn’t feel like Parokya kung wala siya.” [“it doesn’t feel like Parokya if he’s not there”]
He revealed that the guitarist will have to undergo treatment and be unable to play until he makes a full recovery.
At the start, Chee Kee continued playing with Parokya because “he didn’t want anyone worrying about him.” He was later advised by his doctor not to play gigs so he could rest. Miranda asked his bandmates if they could stop playing while the guitarist was unavailable, but Chee Kee reportedly said, “he doesn’t want us to stop playing just because we’re waiting for him to get better.”
He added, “We owe it to Gab, and more importantly, to everyone na patuloy na sumusuporta sa [who continue supporting] Parokya, to continue playing.”
Miranda also said, “Best friend ko si Gab mula 1st year high school, and siya lang yung palagi kong ka-jamming bago pa naming ma-isipan mag-buo ng banda…at kahit nung naging Parokya na kami, si Gab pa rin yung sinusundan ko whenever we perform live. Gitara yung sinasabayan ko tuwing gig, sa kanya ko kinukuha yung tono, at sa kanya ko din tinatanong kung nasa tono ba ako o wala. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Yun yung reason kung bakit ayoko tumugtog with Parokya kung wala siya.”
[“Gab has been my best friend since 1st year high school and I was always jamming with him even before we thought of starting a band. Even when we were already Parokya, I follow Gab whenever we perform live. I always follow the guitar in gigs. I get the tone from him and it’s him I ask if I am in tune. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. That’s why I don’t want to perform with Parokya without him.”]
Raising funds
Photo / Chito Miranda
“Initially, ayaw pa rin sana ni Gab ipaalam sa lahat kasi ayaw niya talaga makaabala sa iba [Initially, Gab didn’t want people to know because he didn’t want to bother them]… but because of the situation, his partner, Kha, and his brother, Raoul, convinced Gab to allow us to inform everyone, because it would be easier for everyone to ask for assistance if the people who loved him knew what was really going on,” Miranda revealed.
Dancel, a close friend of Chee Kee’s, “also asked Gab not to deny the people who cared for him, the opportunity to help him out.”
According to Miranda, this is what convinced Gab to finally allow them to reach out and share his condition and his situation.
Miranda ended his post with a lyric from Parokya ni Edgar’s “The Yes Yes Show”: “Walang iwanan sa Parokya Band…sa Parokya ni Edgar.” [“No one gets left behind in Parokya ni Edgar”].
Those who would like to help Chee Kee can transfer to the following accounts:
BPI 2816006235
Gabriel Ignatius Chee Kee
Paypal: @chitomirandajr
Alfonso Miranda
Chee Kee’s GCash account:
Photo / Chito Miranda
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