DAKILA (nobility) - Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism is a group of artists and individuals committed to advocating social consciousness formation among both their industry peers and their immediate audiences. DAKILA recognizes that Philippine society is in the midst of a significant upheaval and that, as disciples of the creative act, the artists are not exempted from the responsibility of helping contribute to positive change.

DAKILA envisions a nation of heroes. Its mission is to build a movement that inspires heroism and nobility of thought and action to effect social transformation by collectively providing creative avenues to awaken the individual, dismantle apathy and unleash their inner hero.

The three goals of DAKILA are awareness, education, and involvement - to make the public aware of crucial concerns affecting society, to educate both the audience and, more importantly, themselves about pressing social concerns, which should effectively inform the methods of creative expression and to be consistently and dynamically involved in activities geared toward achieving the common good.

DAKILA was born out of the need to address the need to confront the evil of apathy engulfing the nation and to inspire the Filipino people to get involve through awareness and education. This group of artists bonded to utilize their “powers” to influence the public through their craft in order to work for the common good. Using the superhero mythology as a way to capture the interests of the masses, DAKILA extols the virtue of joy and humor to uplift the nation’s spirit and at the same time encourage the people to believe in their own potentials and strength to find hope in these trying times.

As its first project, DAKILA launched a campaign dubbed as “Linisin ang Pilipinas!” (Clean up the Philippines), a symbolical and literal cleaning of the Philippine Relief Map in Luneta Park in Manila. The three day clean up and repainting of the Philippine Relief Map was a fitting opening salvo for DAKILA since it was able to creatively express its call for modern heroism by encouraging the public to get involve through simple acts such as the literal scrubbing of dirt from the relief map. DAKILA was able to tap on the general public’s spirit of volunteerism as more than a thousand people from all walks of life – students, cab drivers, seamen, artists, professionals, children and families – troop to Luneta Park to do their share in the cleaning.

In the past, DAKILA has tied up with the Ecology Center of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) for the first ever Subic Earth Day Festival. It has partnered with ROCKED (Rocking Society through Education) on various events such as Rock the Riles – an annual event promoting the United Nation Millennium Development Goals and with the Clean up the World, the Australian Embassy, and the National Parks and Development Committee for the Luneta project. It has spearheaded various education sessions cum music performances to promote its advocacies in bars and public venues that targets the youth. Most recently, it has partnered with Sulong CARHRIHL, a non-government organization involved in the campaign for the Respect of Human Rights and the International Humanitarian Law, for the Peacetahan 2008, a project on a nationwide competition on song and music video making, infomercials and poster design to promote peace and human rights.

Last February, DAKILA launched “Kaya Mong Maging DAKILA”, a 46 artist collaborative anthem composed by Noel Cabangon. The collaborative theme song was participated by artists such as Kat Agarrado (SinosiKat?), Kalila Aguilos,  Gabby Alipe (Urbandub), Bing Austria (Juan Pablo Dream), Joey Ayala, Bayang Barrios, Lougee Basabas (Mojofly), Norman Bernardo (Jeepney Joyride), Jimmy Bondoc, Lou Bonevie, Gabriel Cabangon, Noel Cabangon, Eric Cabrera (Datu’s Tribe), Bimbo Cerudo, Cooky Chua (Color it Red),  Ermie Concepcion, Isko Cordero (FMD),  Jorel Corpus (Kjwan), Ebe Dancel (Sugarfree), Vin Dancel (Peryodiko), Lourd de Veyra (Radioactive Sago Project),  Bituin Escalante, Jaime Fabregas, Susan Fernandez, Jeazell Grutas (Zelle), Eric Illanga, Tado Jimenez (Live Tilapia), Leidulataja Jimenez , Julianne, Pochoy Labog (Dictalicense), Ronnie Lazaro, Buhawi Meneses (Parokya ni Edgar),  Gabe Mercado, Papadom, Gillette Sandico, Skarlet, Noel Trinidad, Tuesday Vargas (Top Junk), Edwin Vergara (Guitars), Simon Tan (Bass Guitar), Rey Vinoya (Drums), Nikko Rivera (Keyboards), Budeths Casinto (Percussions), Kakoy Legaspi (Mandolin), Wowie Anzano and Pards Tupas of Radioactive Sago Project (Horns).

DAKILA also holds creative workshops every Sunday for street children as a partner of Nokia and Rocked for the VIA Project for the street children of Virlaine Foundation and Child Hope Asia. At the same time, DAKILA continues to hold education sessions in schools, bars and communities through concerts, film showing, forum, and discussions. DAKILA is also part of the exhibit to raise funds for the preservation of Philippine crafts and artifacts of the Asian Center in UP – 100 Tao para sa 100 Taka.  Dakila is a partner of the Campus FM 99.5 Brewrats Radio hosted by DJ Tado, DJ Angel and DJ Ramon for their Educational Mondays. It recently partnered with Anino Design for the Agimat Project, a website created to promote Filipino Artists, Philippine Art and Culture.

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DAKILA is composed of multi-awarded poet-essayist and front man of the spoken word-jazz-rock band Radioactive Sago Project, LOURD ERNEST DE VEYRA; Parokya ni Edgar bassist and cancer awareness advocate, BUHAWI “BUWI” MENESES; comedian, indie film actor, Live Tilapia vocalist, limiTADO owner and Brewrats deejay, ARVIN “TADO” JIMENEZ; UP student leader and aerobatic flight student STEPHANIE MARIE TAN; children’s rights advocate LENI VELASCO; accomplished singer, songwriter, musical director, and theatre actor, NOEL CABANGON; versatile Bacolod-born film and theatre actor, RONIE LAZARO; contemporary dancer, theatre actress and jewelry designer, VANNI LIWANAG; graphic designer and UP College of Fine Arts graduate, MICH RAMA; spoken word artist, music producer and Nityalila bassist, MIKO PEPITO AGUILAR; entrepreneur and UP Diliman Philosophy graduate, DANTE LAGMAN; high school teacher, event host and lifestyle writer, KARLA VIZCARRA; church worker and labor welfare advocate, RYAN CARLO ROAN;  seasoned photographer and director, TOOTOOTS LEYESA; and FMD vocalist and songwriter, ISKO CORDERO.

The membership of DAKILA is comprised of artists, students and young professionals. Some of its members include musicians such as Bayang Barrios, Cooky Chua, Joey Ayala, Vin Dancel of Peryodiko, Kat Agarrado of Sinosikat?; veteran theatre actors such as Archi Adamos, Gilleth Sandico, Kalila Aguilos; film makers such as Jim Libiran and Miguel Pancho; multi-awarded visual artists Poklong Anading, Eghai Roxas and Louie Cordero; MTV icon Ramon Bautista and NU 107 and the Peep Show host Dylan.

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