American community in SU holds benefit concert
The Quizo Family embodies the saying, “A family that prays together, stays together,” and brings it to another level: not only do they pray together, but they also sing and help others together, too, as the Quizo Family Quintet.
(L-R) Pastor Joni James Quizo and his sons Yeshuah Quizo and Jon Riam Quizo of the Quizo Family Quintet.
Daniel Pennie, a second year Biology student from Papua New Guinea, performs a traditional dance as an intermission number after the first set of songs by the Quzio Family Quintet.
After 11 years, Pastor Joni James Quizo, his wife Meriam, and their children Jon Riam, Onna and Yeshuah, returned to the exact stage where the Quizo Family Quintet performed their first concert—this time, for a student from Papua New Guinea named Daniel Pennie.
The Quizo Family Quintet performed in a concert for a cause organized by the American Community of Silliman University (SU), through the International Students Office, in celebration of the US Independence Day last July 4 at Silliman Hall.
Ronnie Christian Kollman, chairperson of the July 4th concert for a cause and first year Nursing student.
Ronnie Christian Kollman, chairperson of the July 4th concert and first year Nursing student, said Mr. Moses Joshua Atega, International Students adviser, came up with the idea to hold a fundraising concert for Daniel.
“(The concert aims) to bring people together,” said Ronnie, who had invited students and families of different nationalities in the city for a meaningful 4th of July celebration, aside from the usual activities of the SU International Students Office.
Daniel, the concert’s beneficiary, said he had to shift from studying Nursing to Biology because the Papua New Guinean government had stopped funding his studies here in the Philippines.
The donations collected from the concert, said Daniel, will help him fund his tuition.
“I’m so happy because I have…people to help me [and] push [me] forward. Without money, I might [drop] out from school,” he added.
Financial insecurity as a problem among international students like Daniel is “something to consider” for people who might not be aware of it, said Onna Quizo, 1/5 of the Quizo Family Quintet and a part-time teacher at the Fine Arts Department.
“[It is good] to really treat [international students] as family, other than treating them as people who are just foreigners,” she added.
In terms of beneficial programs, Mr. Atega believes that they should have “no boundaries.”
“[Programs] should be inclusive, because when we talk about developing countries, third world countries, it’s not only the Philippines,” he added.
Aside from financial insecurity, Mr. Atega also mentioned a study from the Accountancy Department which showed food insecurity as a problem among students in the University.
“There are students who are actually suffering from hunger. There’s so much to be done and we hope this concert would target these two (financial and food insecurity) [and] will be the beginning of doors opened for us to be totally a welcoming heart,” he said.
When Mr. Atega invited the Quizo Family to do the concert, Onna said her family easily accepted the invitation because it was for a good cause.
“We’re not really in it for the fame. Because we started in church, most of what we do is music ministry, [like singing] in hospitals, [or] if there’s an organization who’s trying to raise funds for something, then we’re willing to offer our talents,” she said.
(L-R) Onna Quizo and her mom, Mrs. Meriam Quizo of the Quizo Family Quintet.
Moreover, Onna shared how her family had been singing together ever since she and her siblings could talk.
“We grew up singing (in church)…[and] we became the Quizo Family Quintet through kuya (Moses)…It was through him that we were appointed by Silliman as Goodwill Ambassadors. We were sent to do a concert tour around Mindanao…but our first concert was also actually here in Silliman Hall,” said Onna.
(Photos by Romy Kristoffer Jauculan of SU Camera Club)
