of the mountains, the smooth valleys, the blowing winds and the grandeur of the region's nature.

Fronda's name is now attached to his famous Panagbenga hymn. He is also synonymous with the popular St. Louis University (SLU) band, a consistent winner in regional and national band competitions.

Tribute to Cordillera, composed in 1989, was played way before it became popular as the Panagbenga hymn. Before becoming a street dance accompaniment in the festival, this vibrant music cheered athletes in out- of-town competitions.

Fronda formed the SLU band in 1953 with only nine members. He traveled to the provinces of Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur to  recruit deserving boys as band members and become full scholars.

He grew up with music surrounding him, and his inclination was evident at an early age. His father too was a bandmaster, who played in festivals. On such occasions the young Fronda played along with the band beating coconut shells with sticks.

This love for music and innate talent became a lifetime occupation for Fronda. His family says that he continuously composed music, many written on large music sheets.

According to Nito Meneses and the SLU Alumni Archives, some of these compositions include the SLU Diamond Jubilee Hymn (1986) ; SLU Presidential March (1997); Huwarang Pamilyang Pilipino Hymn (1998); Bakakeng Parish Hymn; Senior Citizens March; and the Agoo Maestra Senora de Caridad Processional March. He also arranged the SLU Hymn, Baguio City March, Cordillera Hymn, Baguio General Hospital School of Nursing Hymn, PRISAA Hymn, CARAA Hymn, and Puso'k To'y Nasugatan.

He remained anonymous for a long time as the composer of Tribute to Cordillera, but when it won in a competition selecting a Panagbenga hymn, he had to be introduced. Since then it was a perky melody easily hummed and whistled when one thinks of Panagbenga, a tune lingering in the mind.

Born on December 8, 1921, Fronda was 91 years old when he passed away.  His wife, Ildefonso, said he always heard music in his head and will start to skip in its beat when talking walks together. At home he also constantly danced and marched  to the music.

"He was a very kind and patient man," she said of him. He was as jolly as his music is how his wife describes him.

She said that her husband played all the band instruments. "He could 'blow' all the instruments. Clarinet, flute, trombone, saxophone, " she said.

Fronda was strict about practice attendance and coming on time. Each instrument had a day for practice, and on Sundays, the band came together for general practice, the secret of their impeccable performance.

In 1988 he had ladies join the band. Marivic Macadaeg, the first lady recruit, is now the bandmaster.

Fronda took pride in his ten children who all turned out as successful professionals.

It is little wonder that Fronda was awarded twice as Outstanding Citizen of Baguio. Once for his music and another as an outstanding senior citizen. He was also a Builder of Baguio awardee (2009), among other awards.

Fr. Evarist Verlinden, head of Clinical Pastoral Center of SLU who first met Mac in 1965, said that Mac was dedicated and a very respectful man.

Mercedes Coloma who formerly taught music at the SLU Boy's High said that Mac helped all the music teachers and their choir always won under his tutelage.

The vibrant Panagbenga for which he is best remembered in the city was played by the band he led since 1953 during his burial on March 21, now composed of 150 members.

Hundreds more would now look back and remember how music and the kind bandmaster gave them a future.

Every December 8, Fronda would wake up to the serenade of his band who came early in the morning to greet their bandmaster on his birthday. This time around, angels in heaven will be playing for him.###Meeting Ferdy Bayasen for the first time may give you the impression that he very strict because of his serious facial expression and his built. But when he speaks, one may realize that there is more to meeting Ferdy in the eye because he speaks softly and he has a good sense of humor.

Ferdy is Baguio-born and is one that is proud of his Igorot roots. At 49, he was already recognized as one of the outstanding punong barangays in the city in 2011. The Rotary Club of Metro Baguio started this award with the purpose of acknowledging and recognizing the selfless efforts and service of the punong barangays for the welfare of their constituents and of their barangays as a whole.

“I am not a perfect role model. I have lots of failure but I enjoy my life,"  Ferdy said, when asked how he gets by his life, considering that public service entails a lot of effort and sacrifices as well as consequences which may even result to negligence in responsibilities as a father and a married man. He said things will get into its proper places if a person knows how to live life with a laugh despite difficulties.

ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACIES
Born to the older Baguio with fewer vehicles, lesser people, more trees and only a small number of buildings, Ferdy has always been an environmental advocate by heart. This is the reason why in Barangay Guisad where he lords as punong barangay, he daily preaches his environmental advocacies to his constituents like the adoption of eco-composting receptacles. This eco-composting areas are situated in several places. There are two main receptacles in Easter School, two more in the compound of Baptist Mission Church and two composting receptacles at the brgy hall compound as well as smaller outlets among the private residential houses which adopted eco-composting.

Even at his own house, Ferdy said they have their own eco-composting receptacle for their biodegradables waste. With this, Ferdy said they have substantially reduced the volume of biodegradables.

Guisad residents were also into tree-planting activities in their community watershed at Riverside compound as well as along the roadsides. Ferdy said trees being planted are not necessarily pine trees but also fruit trees not high enough to disturb the electrical lines.

The barangay have also strictly adopted the zero-plastic bag ordinance of the city and implemented a no-plastic policy in the stores. Unfortunately, Ferdy said the compliance is not very good. “

We hope that the city will have an iron hand in implementing the ordinance because if we want a paradigm shift, we need to change the attitude of the people for them to bring bayong or reusable bags whenever they go to the market instead of using plastics," Ferdy  said.

At the same time, Ferdy employed backyard vegetable gardening in the barangay with a little help from the nearby Department of Agriculture. The barangay identified spaces for backyard gardening and also encouraged potted vegetables in every household. Ferdy’s practice in his house is a model in this endeavor. He gathers biodegradable kitchen waste into a clay pot for composting until it turns into soil. He said the compost will not be attracting flies as long as it is well-aerated and exposed to sunlight. He then throws tomato seeds and after some time, Ferdy has his own supply of tomatoes.

On the cultural and social development of his constituents, Guisad built a dap-ay within the barangay compound. The dap-ay among the Igorots plays a very important role especially in the olden times. It serves as a learning place for the growing boys of the village. The elders went there at night to exchange stories about current events and what they perceive about the future, or opinion about a present unrelenting issue. The youths listening from these stories gained wisdom. It is from the dap-ay that they are molded to become real matured men – men who are responsible, who will be ready to face the challenges of life.

This is the vision of Ferdy -- to teach the youth on the cultural practices that must be preserved through generations. In Guisad, they have scheduled a dap-ay night during Thursdays and Rain Dancing practices on Friday nights. He said the women’s organization in the barangay usually bring food for the gatherings.

YESTER-YEARS
Ferdy took his elementary education at Easter School and his secondary education at University of Baguio Science High Batch 80. He graduated Mechanical Engineering at Saint Louis University with flying colors. Right after graduation, he was employed at the mines in Coppers Field project of Benguet Exploration. But because his parents warned him about mine safety, Ferdy left the field of gold and moved to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and worked as a Mechanical Engineer.

When the PEZA building was damaged during the 1990 earthquake, Ferdy was hired at the regional Department of Environment and Natural Resources as an Environmental Management and Protection Specialist. Following his good performance, he was assigned at the Environmental Management Bureau at their central office in Manila.

But leaving his hometown didn’t mean forgetting all the beautiful memories he had when he married Aileen Corpus, a beautiful lass from Bokod, Benguet. They were blessed with five children. His eldest is a nurse working at Baguio General Hospital while his second daughter also graduated from nursing this year. His third child, Christian, will be graduating soon at Pines City National High School.

“Christian is, by the way, a top debater,"  Ferdy said.

WHAT LIES AHEAD
When Ferdy got married, he decided to come home to the place he called his home, leaving behind his professional career. He tried to do business by opening a mini-grocery in Guisad and then in 2002 he was elected as barangay chief of Guisad. He is now on his last term as chairman.
At the same time, Ferdy became a member Beneco board representing district 3 but now that they have re-districted, Ferdy is handling district 4 composed of 16 villages. He is also now into his last term as Beneco board.

Although he has no plans as of now, he confessed that he was tempted to file to run for office as a councilor this 2013 midterm election but was hindered by the family.“They say I should finish my terms first. Mahirap naman na pumasok sa politika na hindi ka fully supported by the family,"  he said with a smile.

“Maybe I can just go back to business and be involved in some civic groups or NGOs," Ferdy mused.

LIFESTYLE CHANGE
What remains as a challenge for Ferdy now is how to get in shape physically. He goes jogging and walking ever morning either at Athletic Bowl or around the Burnham Lake or in Benguet State University depending on who among his kids he drops the last in school.

His awareness came after he had a mild stroke last year month of May. His doctor advised him for a need to “drastically change his lifestyle,"  He said partly he was successful in his trimming although his “big belly doesn’t show”.

At home, even his kids are helping on his diet. “Although at first it was difficult, the kids would ask for hotdog, fried chicken, but now they are learning to eat more vegetables and fish,"  Ferdy said.

He said he sticks to his physical exercise daily as possible even if his belly is heavy. He drink liquor occasionally but not like how he drank before.

“I also smoke and it’s one thing that I stopped two years ago and then I get back to it maybe because of my stress in work. I used to consume more than one pack a day, and then I stopped almost two years ago; when I got back to it I am now consuming six to eight sticks a day. When I had my stroke I stopped but now I’m on to it again. Sometimes I am successful not to smoke a single stick in a day. It remains as a challenge to me."

"My kids are actually into physical activities so I am challenged to join them. They love swimming and running so my ultimate goal is to maximize change in my lifestyle”.

That was so far as getting to know Ferdy. He was very relaxed during the interview. And he likes to share to readers that “life is beautiful. Live it."