MANILA, Philippines?Like Cory Aquino, Susan Fernandez made us proud to be Filipino. If Cory restored democracy in the country, Susan lent a sweet sound to social consciousness through her music. They passed away a month apart.

Last week, a small crowd gathered to celebrate Susan?s life and times at Jimmy?s Grill restaurant on Timog Avenue, Quezon City.

It would?ve been Susan?s 53rd birthday; friends and family mounted a live gig with some of the most talented acts in the local music scene.

Five hours

The lineup included young bands and poets. But the main idea was for Susan?s contemporaries to interpret the songs she recorded in her independently produced ?Habi at Himig,? a sensitive, empowering and beautifully sung album released in 1990?when the alternative rock scene was about to break out.

In the early part of the five-hour presentation, the mood was festive as the all-percussion ensemble Brigada banged away with rumbling, tribal beats.

Virgilio Almario, a.k.a. Rio Alma, 2003 National Artist for Literature, said he wanted to write a happy poem for Susan but couldn?t. Instead, he delivered verses that expressed regret at her untimely demise amid troubled times.

Love, passion

The satire group Bagong Dugo apologized for two members who couldn?t make it. Group leader Joel Saracho struggled in the high notes of The Jackson 5?s ?In Our Small Way.? A Tagalog rendition of Minnie Ripperton?s ?Loving You? (translated by Rolando Tinio as ?Irog Ko?) saved the day.

Lester Demetillo and sister Becky D. Abraham?Susan?s comrades at UP Diliman?s folk music community whose members performed in pre-Edsa rallies?interpreted ?Mundo ng Bata? and ?Langay-Langayan? from ?Habi.? The duo?s traditional, kundiman style heightened the poetic musings on freedom.

Then followed a heady succession of performances that evoked love and passion, hallmarks of Susan?s work. Cooky Chua, with Susan?s brother Dodjie Fernandez on acoustic guitar, jokingly complained that ?Pakaingat Ka, Aking Bayani? (original Cebuano lyrics translated by Susan?s husband Alex Magno) was difficult to sing. Yet whatever mistakes she made were hardly noticed; she ended her rendition with emotional fire.

Noel Cabangon, ad-libbing that he couldn?t forget Susan?s ?distinctive head tone,? did ?Batang Kalye? (lyrics by Ed Maranan, music by Susan); what stood out was the song?s haunting line, ?lipunang walang puso.? Skarlet, flustered because she had only a minus-one for backup, nevertheless shone in her jaunty, jazz take on ?Babae Ka.?

More poetry

The rest of the performances?from the heartfelt ?Dalagita sa Dilim? (Bayang Barrios), the indignant ?Ayaw Namin ng Nukleyar? (Chickoy Pura), the inspiring ?Nais Ko? (Joey Ayala), the rousing ?Kamanyang? (a reunited Patatag, led by Susan?s sis-in-law Upeng and a few of the group?s children), to more poetry and other good original stuff (the songs of Peryodiko?s Vin Dancel, Kakoy Legaspi and Simon Tan bore lots of promise)?left us hankering to hear Susan again. We just had to buy a CD reissue of ?Habi? before heading home.