By Ian Urrutia
It took more than ten years for Peryodiko’s “Kumapit Ka Tuwing Lunes” to have a proper music video. Written for two of lead singer and guitarist Vin Dancel’s friends who were suffering from clinical depression back then, the anthemic rock ballad comes from a place of reassuring comfort, telling listeners that it’s okay to open up about your mental distress and anxiety, and seek help from friends, family, and even strangers. “It was a love letter to friends,” Dancel shares. “Parang ‘akap. ‘Akap din sa sarili, I guess.”
The song itself serves as a reminder to be considerate about the feelings of others, especially in a time when our emotional uncertainties have affected the way we navigate our personal relationships and way of living, making it more difficult to tame the deafening voices inside our head.
As for the visual concept, Vin tapped filmmaker Malay Javier, whom he has worked on a bunch of projects, including the music videos of “Bakasyon,” “Tayo,” and “Tayo Lang Ang May Alam,” as well as the sci-fi teen flick, Hindi Sila Tatanda. “I reached out to him because I wanted to contribute something to mental health advocacy during these times,” he tells The Rest Is Noise. “Malay brought in Jet, and we talked about what message we wanted to put out there: that it’s okay to be okay; and it’s okay not to be okay. And if you need help, there are people and organizations you can reach out to. Jet put the video together from stock footage. I’m very grateful to them and to Sheen Claudette Paz who also helped.”
The music video feels like a rumination of fragmented visions and hope for a better life in the face of adversity, allowing us to reflect on how the world has become smaller and slower, and appreciate the people and things that matter to us. As writer-poet Aldus Santos describes it vividly, “Real life is prosaic, and it is also profane, especially when you’re forced to live it. Seeing this gem of a song transformed into video-as-letter, as reminder and appeal, is reinvigorating.” After watching “Kumapit Ka Tuwing Lunes,” you may find yourself wanting to make time for your loved ones, and check on them. It’s never too late to give it a try.
Watch Kumapit Ka Tuwing Lunes
