“Madaming musikero at artista ang nagugutom dahil walang pang-kain.” Ito ang isang nakakapuwing at nakakawindang na reply ni Tado sa akin nung minsang naka-chat ko sya tungkol sa financial literacy ng mga musikero at creative artists.
He was supposed to be part of our second session of Personal Finance Management for Artists and Musicians in partnership with Skarlet Brown’s Heart of Music (HOM) Foundation slated in the next couple of months. He would have joined and gave a pep talk about starting a business based on core gifts and God-given talents had the January schedule pushed through. But my family and I all got sick because of the abrupt weather shifts last month and I had to cancel all my scheduled activities and meetings.
Arvin “Tado” Jimenez and I are both part of Rock Ed Philippines, a volunteer group working to provide venues and events for alternative education. It is this organization that actually inspired me to start a financial literacy movement for the youth, the OFW’s, artists, and musicians called Angat Pilipinas Coalition for Financial Literacy. I was also invited to become a hands-on volunteer for DAKILA where Tado was one of the founding creative movers. I could only commit so much since I have been based overseas when this noble group started.
But I witnessed how Tado bravely fought the evils of society and passionately inspired people to help contribute to nation’s positive change through his personal advocacies and charitable works. He urged other artists to become entrepreneurial since for him this is an “antidote” to end poverty in the country.
Tado, with his wife Lei, established their t-shirt store-cum-tattoo shop-cum-band studio-cum-everything else in our hometown Marikina. It was and still a cult hit among artists, musicians, and the young fans of Tado.
Angat Pilipinas’ signature shirts would have been designed by Tado this month but I guess that’s about it. Our own graphic artist, Des Feliciano, will have to take over and do the designs instead for the advocacy group.
Tado, maraming salamat for becoming part of the lives of many Filipino.
Hanggang sa muli, pareng Tado. Mag-dress to kill ka na dyan. Happy Valentimes. 😉
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P.S. 1. Bro. Bo Sanchez has appointed me as a coach for our young and new investors at the TrulyRichClub social site. It’s a fun, learning family with the purpose of “helping good people become rich”. I’m inviting you to join the TrulyRichClub too and email me at burngutierrezblog@yahoo.com.ph if you have any questions. Click here to join!
Marami din kami natutunan mula kay Sir Tado nung naguumpisa pa lang kami sa tshirt business namin at malaking pasasalamat namin na pumayag siya magbagsak kami ng designs sa shop niya. Sayang, hindi na matutuloy yung mga planong collaboration. Pero kahit wala na siya, pagpapatuloy pa rin namin yung mga advocacies niya.
Nakakalungkot talaga Isel. Madami pang magagawa at maitutulong si Tado para sa mga Pilipino at para sa bayan. Open talaga si Tado at ang pinto ng shops nya para sa ibang artists na gustong mag-umpisang magnegosyo. Tama ka, hindi masasayang ang lahat ng kanyang nagawa basta ipagpapatuloy natin ito.