7 YEARS OF CHESS,
17 YEARS OF MUSIC IN PALAU
PHILIPPINE Ambassador to Palau Ramoncito Marino is the number one supporter of chess in Palau.
Although the 3rd Ambassador Marino Cup was cancelled due to tight budget, he still support the sport through other means like getting a discount from airlines for player competing outside Palau.
He is now recognizing Filipinos who stayed long enough in Palau in their respective fields and Roberto Hernandez was chosen in the music and entertainment category and here are his music experiences:
I first arrived in Palau in February 04, 1992. Elena Sutton, a blind Palauan singer married to an American judge, hired me to be the keyboard player of her "Tropical Depression Band", an 8-member band with 2 Filipino drummers Greg and Willy dela Cruz, who is married to Palauan woman Cristina Baulis.
Other Palauan members of the band were Wilhelm Elbelau --Bass guitar, Henry Takeshi -- rhythm guitar, Romana- singer and Filipino Wilson Prima, lead guitar.
The name of the place where we're playing is Sunset Bistro, on the Aira side of the old and fallen KB bridge.
We played from 9:00 pm to 12:00 midnight. We practice 5 days a week from 3:00 to 6:00 pm. Most of our songs are Palauan songs derived from American songs. Only few are original compositions.
The place needs to earn at least $150.00 a night just to pay the band members. It's not making money and I thought of an idea to hold singing contest and provide free transportation from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm.
It was a good and successful idea that discovered talents from Filipino and Palauan community with the 11 weekly champions advacing to the grand finals of the 1992 Sunset Bistro Singing Contest.
Disco, parlor games, raffles and dance contest were also held in between singing contest that make customers come back every Sunday.
After the finals, the place don't make as much and finally stopped operation in early July 1992.
Wilson and me auditioned in front of Margarita Borja Dalton, the owner-manager of Image Restaurant in July 16, 1992. We were able to play and sing all of Margie's requests and she yelled, "You're hired, boys!"
We started playing together in July 26, 1992 and we moved to the rented staff house at Meyuns with Tess and Romy Soriano, Ma. Victoria Estonina, Ruben Arquero and Joe Benemerito, the bartender, became my roommate.
Margie's son Tim, who is a good drummer, is not satisfied without real drums. He hired Willy and used his own junior size drums on July 31, 1992.
All of us can sing and we somehow produced a complete band because I learned how to play using my left hand as a bass player while in Bahrain (1987-1989).
When Wilson went back to Philippines, only me and Willy played together. When we started to have karaoke, Willy worked as a butcher at Surangel's and I played solo and operate karaoke since then.
On April 01, 2005, Image Restaurant's ownership was granted to Bank of Guam and later to Juan Borja, a cousin of Margie from Guam.
Me and my wife resumed working with her at their Cafe Olei at the departure area of Palau International Airport.
In the soft opening of Rose Garden Resort, I played keyboard there for 11 months till June 21, 2006.
And when the transfer law was finally signed by then President Tommy Remengesau, Jr. on March 16, 2006, we were able to transfer at Dragon Tei, Teppan Dragon and Donburi Dragon from June 23, 2006 to May 31, 2007.
I played the electronic piano at Teppan Dragon and the accoustic piano at Donburi Dragon. That piano was bought from Margie by Yuriko Irikedamoto.
When Donburi Dragon had closed down on January 28, 2007, I was able to transfer at Palau Royal Resort on June 01, 2007 to present.
Yuriko and her husband Tsuneo sold the accoustic piano to PRR. So, wherever the piano goes, I go!
I play that piano from 6:00-9:00 pm at Waves Restaurant and uses a keyboard at Breeze Bar from 9:00-11:00 pm every night except Wednesday (my day off).
(It's Friday now -- day off).
My wife is still working at Dragon Tei where she was the only lady worker that got perfect attendance in 2008.
Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 13 & 15
Volume 18
Issue 18
May 04-10, 2009
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