One of the highlights of the film, “Siglo ng Kalinga” by director Lemuel Lorca, is the duet of producer Dr. Carl Balita with Pop Diva Kuh Ledesma.
The song, “Walang Hanggang Kalinga,” was composed and arranged by Vehnee Saturno.
According to Balita, Ledesma is the best choice to sing the theme song since Kuh is a registered nurse.
“She was already in my mind while writing the song. I told Vehnee Saturno about it, and he loved the idea because they already have done collaborations,” shared Balita.
“As a person, I find her very spiritual. She already has a room reserved in heaven. In everything she does she attributes it to the Lord. I love her for that. She’s very caring.
“I grew up singing her songs,” he added.
He also said he admires Kuh’s professionalism and exceptional talent.
He added that Ledesma is a committed artist.
“She came on time. She’s dressed for it. She prepared for it. She did her homework,” he noted. “Very professional. She won’t be the Pop Diva now if she isn’t professional as she is even till this day.
“She does everything in prayer. That gives her all the power, and that makes different as an artist.”
Ledesma revealed why she gladly accepted the offer.
“When Dr. Carl asked me to sing the theme song for a movie about nurses portrayed by nurses, I readily said ‘yes.’ I was glad to learn that Vehnee Saturno did the melody of Dr. Carl’s touching and heartwarming lyrics.”
The song is a tribute to the nurses, the unsung heroes of all generations, added Kuh, and she is honored to interpret the song for a movie with actual nurses playing nurses.
“They experience first-hand the hard work that nurses go through. They are the ones who [truly] have seen the difficulties of their ailing patients. They have seen the reality of pain their patients go through.”
“Siglo ng Kalinga” is from the story and screenplay of Archie Del Mundo, inspired by the life story of Philippine Nurses’ Association (PNA) founder Anastacia Giron-Tupas and the heroic lives of Filipino nightingales.
The film is about three periods that will interconnect all the life experiences, work, advocacies, teachings, and learnings from Tupas through portions of flashbacks in 1922-1945-1959 while transposing her story into the lives of her modern-day contemporaries or counterparts.
The all-nurses cast included Joy Ras, Tads Obach, Bambi Rojas, Ellener Cruz, Joel Rey Carcasona, Aldrin Samson, Irma Bustamante, Jewell Alano, Abbey Romero, Anna Illescas, Lorrich Del Castilo, Denmark Mismanos, Aya Sarmiento, Jam Sandiego, Val Ramilo, Jerico Roque, and VJ Mendoza. Nursing leaders and luminaries, such as Dr. Cora Anonuevo, Mila Llanes, Betty Merritt, Remedios Fernandez, Rita Tamse, Clare Curato, Frances Cuevas, Nerissa Gerial, and Melvin Miranda, PNA national president, also played vital roles.
“Siglo ng Kalinga” opens nationwide on May 31.
