MULTI-AWARDED MUSICIAN RICO BLANCO is working on a new project to encourage more Filipinos to become entrepreneurs and being one’s own “Bossing”—and he’s doing it the best way he knows how: by providing inspiration and hope through a song. Blanco, an advocate of entrepreneurship, believes that as more Filipinos go into business, the sooner the nation’s poverty problem can be solved.
Rico Blanco is busy on the works for a song inspired by entrepreneurs.
Using his music for positive and meaningful goals is not a new undertaking for the former vocalist and co-songwriter of the legendary band Rivermaya. Blanco, for example, help co-write the song “Posible” for the Philippine delegation to the Southeast Asian Games to inspire Filipino athletes to give their best. That song has become relevant beyond its original purpose and has become an anthem for Filipinos who dare to achieve what seems impossible.
More recently, Blanco composed and recorded the song “Bangon” as his way of helping the victims of typhoon Ondoy. “Bangon” is still available as a free download on Rico’s website (
http://www.ricoblanco.com.ph) where you can also find details on how you can contribute support to Ondoy victims.)
For his latest project, Blanco is still keeping details about his new song under wraps but did give a few hints on what it’s about.
“The song is a call for Filipinos to take control of their destiny. No matter who you are and what you do—whether you drive a taxi, or you’re a street vender, or you’re a new graduate who can’t find a job—you are not a slave of your circumstances.
“The point is that Filipinos can, by changing their attitude, change their lives for the better. They can make choices that will result in a better life for them and their loved ones. It doesn’t matter whether they have a lot of education or not—it’s all about realizing that no matter what your external situation is, you can still take control and create your own fate,” says Blanco.
Musician-Songwriter Rico Blanco is currently working on a song for Filipino SMEs.
Blanco says his inspiration for writing the song are Filipino entrepreneurs—especially those who started with almost nothing and became small-to-medium scale entrepreneurs or SMEs.
“Filipino SMEs are the silent, unpublicized heroes of our economy. They go against all odds to start a small business and grow it through street smarts, perseverance, and hard work. In the process, they not only help themselves—they help generate jobs for other Filipinos as well. I read somewhere that SMEs form the backbone, as much as 90%, of our economy,” says Blanco.
With private sectors like PLDT and non-government organizations like Go Negosyo pushing efforts in giving SMEs the opportunities to succeed in their business, anyone who has the drive to become one’s own boss has a greater chance to succeed. Blanco is hoping that his new song, when it is released, will help Filipinos realize that there’s still hope, and that they have more options when it comes to becoming successful in life.
“If you look at the stories of Filipino entrepreneurs, many of them don’t necessarily come from high society, or studied in private schools. Many of them don’t even have a college or high-school degree. In a way, coming from a poor background is an added incentive for them to become successful entrepreneurs,” adds Blanco.
Blanco says he is looking forward to finally releasing his new song when the time is right. “As an artist and as a Filipino, I find it very fulfilling to create the music that I love, while at the same time making my own contribution to improving our nation’s situation,” says the popular musician.
