I had the chance to jam with the Grants Noypi Band. “Noypi” is the slangier version of the slang term “Pinoy,” which Filipinos often use when referring to themselves. The band is currently rehearsing for the upcoming Bayanihan on December 12, 2025 (Friday) in Grants, New Mexico. This cultural celebration for a cause, organized by the Cibola Arts Council in cooperation with the Filipino community in Grants, will once again feature dance, theatre, and choir performances that highlight the richness of Filipino heritage. “After its success last year, the Bayanihan is back to bring another evening of togetherness”, says Rodney King Lisondra, council member.
The Noypi Band is led by long-time friends and bandmates Oliver Paras and Alfredo Manlapaz, both teachers by profession, whose love for music has formed a group that is set to thrive. They were greatly influenced by the Original Pinoy Music (OPM) band Eraserheads and even heavier acts like Metallica, a combination that gives their sound both heart and grit.
Joining them this year are the youngest members, Olivier Edric Paras (drums) and Ruthlianne Cabotaje (vocals), both students at Grants High School, who bring a teen-bright beat to the ensemble. The band combines experience and enthusiasm, creating a Pinoy sound that appeals to all generations. Each rehearsal is a mix of practice and pizza, peppered with laughter, which is another strong flavor of the Filipino family.
Also adding to the season’s melody, the Grants Filipino Choir has been preparing for its annual Christmas caroling, which runs from December to January. Each year, the group sings their way through the chilly New Mexico nights to raise donations for various charities. This time, their heartfelt songs will support a home for the aged, including typhoon and earthquake victims in the Philippines another proof that music could spring from both joy and purpose.
The choir conductor and directress is Agnes Mercado, who teaches Music at Cubero Elementary School and has a deep love for music and culture. She and her singers are more than ready for the evenings ahead. They have around 20 homes lined up to be serenaded, and they hope to spread love and raise enough support to make December a little easier for those going through tough times. Many of the band members are also in the choir, along with their spouses and even their children. Rehearsals and performances naturally become meaningful family activities.
My love for band and choir began in my sophomore year of high school. I sang in the choir first, and then learned to play the guitar for novena and Sunday masses. In college, I became a guest rhythm guitarist for an all-female band. My brother often teased me, saying I strummed as if every song belonged in church, while my friends cringed when I used power chords during services. Eventually, I became a vocalist for a band from my college years into my early teaching career. We mostly played OPM like Hungry Young Poets (later Barbie’s Cradle) and Moonstar 88, along with a few international favorites like Alanis Morissette, Shania Twain, and Blondie. Even when I taught at a university, I joined the faculty band. And today, I’m happy that Noypi allows me to jam with them from time to time.
But why do we love to sing so much?
Culturally, singing is part and parcel of our daily life. From churches and plazas to fiestas and birthdays, there’s always a segment that calls for singing. Moreover, singing brings us together. A tone-deaf dad, a competitive cousin, a shy friend, a competitive coworker, everyone gets their turn. More than anything, singing simply feels good. For many living abroad, familiar songs become a fleeting teleportation back home. And for Pinoys, that short chance of comfort is powerful.
As we welcome the holidays, I invite everyone to catch the Noypi Band at the Bayanihan and open their homes to the Grants Filipino Choir. Let their music remind us that singing is more than entertainment. It is a way of lifting each other wherever we are. And in that way, we sing, and somehow, we sanguinely find a home where we belong.