I would like to inform you that I am just coining excerpts from articles together and a litle bit of research that I did. New events are not included here as information has been widely spread out for the public to enjoy. I have focused my data on the old stuff but will be including newer events eventually.

If you have anything to add up please do email me at betterhalfservices@yahoo.com.

Tropical Depression's founder talks about the birth of the beat in the Philippines.
By: Eric S. Caruncho
Sunday Inquirer Magazine April 20, 1997

Filipino musicians felt an affinity with reggae early on, its eccentric rhythms (with the distinctive accent on the afterbeat that made it such an irresistible dance music) reminding them of earlier imports such as the cumbanchero music popular in the 1950s. By the late 1970s, groups such as Asin were experimenting with Tagalog songs set to reggae rhythms. It would be a while, however, before, before a
Filipino reggae band would emerge. But this is getting ahead of the story.

Gamboa formed a new band called Tropical Depression towards the end of 1991. The name came from a previous band he had been in, a four-piece hard rock outfit. But given the natural progression of things - ska being, after all, the predecessor of reggae - the new, improved Tropical Depression was to be pure reggae band.

This was nothing new: for years, Cocojam had ruled the roost at Mayric's with a repertiore that consisted almost entirely of Bob Marley covers. Now it was time to find out if there was room for more than one reggae band in Manila.


JAH music at Afro-Asia
By: Ernesto M. Hilario
The Sunday Chromicle February 9, 1997

Reggae was introduced in the Philippines in the early to mid-'70s largely through the radio (DZRJ), and Marley records But the first local reggae band - Eurasia - was formed until the mid-'80s, with Sammy Asuncion on guitar, Rico Velez on Bass and Rene Santos on drums. When Eurasia went their separate ways, Coco Jam stepped into the breach and filled the local folkhouse circuit with the distinctive reggae beat.

Cooco Jam's founder is Rolly Maligad, who cut his teeth in the late '70's on standard folk tunes - Simon and Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, Don McLean - as one-half of an outfit called Ric and Rol. He switched to reggae in the mid-'80s, putting together a line-up that included Noli Aurillo on guitar, Rene Santos on drums, and a trio of women back-up vocalists. The band played regularly ar Mayric's in Manila and Larry's Bar and Kalye in Makati.

Coco Jam's personnel have changed over the years. Ace guitarist Jun Lopito took over the guitar chores when Aurillo left for Thailand. Veteran musician Rico Velez returned from Zimbabwe to play bass guitar while Nowie Favila (Now of Ang Grupong Pendong) and later Edmond Fortuno occupied the drummer's seat.


Interview the sponsorship for the 1st Reggae Exhibit in the Philippines
Manager of Weblinq Cebu 1997

In 1986, Maximum at Zero, a band from Cebu started to fill the local music scene with reggae.


Power 25
By: Gerard Pareja
SunStar Weekend January 5, 1997

Sunday Reggae Sun Splash
The Philippines' only four-hour reggae show (Z106 Sundays 10 am to 2 pm, hosted by JJ Gonzalez) has a solid Bob Marley program every other hour (the first from 10-11 am, the second from 1-2 pm). The rest of the show features reggae songs from different artists the world over, including a couple of Cebuano acts.

Raw Belief
Cebu's past and future reggae band. With their early 90's hits "Circles"
and "Baso." they were able to craft Marley's sound into the Cebu College Pop frame. Why, even the high school girls were groovin' to it. Now the group is "on-air" again (at least in Z106) with the songs, "First Step" and" Revolution." Just a few more reggae members with Cebuano lyrics and this group will be well on its way to establishing Jamaica in Colon.

Data
Last Leaf
A band with all its members from JAH People Society. Doing covers from Bob Marley. They also perform their own songs. Last Leaf projects the early Bob Marley and the Wailers soulful music. Even brings the vibration of a reggae group.