Oxford Ortego

Abaknons are a musically-inclined lot. Almost everyone from the island has a flair for music, that’s why every gathering is made more fun by everyone’s sharing of their individual masterpieces.

But there are always those who stand out in the crowd, the first among equals. I maybe am making a presumption, but I think, one family that makes exceptional music is the Ortego clan, who has, as far as I know, lived and breathe music for most of their lives.

Does “Maestro Maco Ortego” sound familiar? I’m sure his name does, as he is known not only among Capuleños but among mainlanders as well, being a respected music professor.

And quite likely, the strong genes brought the same talent to his offsprings, and the Ortego descendants did similarly well in music, one of whom just got introduced to Bandilyo Abaknon recently.

His name is Oxford "Otoy" Ortego and he now plays with a band at the Las Vegas strip. He’s been there for years, having played at major entertainment hubs like the Suncoast, The Orleans, Stratosphere, Caesar's Palace and others. Yup, he’s been there long before the celebrities we know today have made their own marks. That’s one thing we Abaknons can truly be proud of.

The band he’s with is composed mainly of Filipinos or of Filipino blood. One is Amy Castillo (mother's maiden name too) whose ancestry is San Antonio but born in Guam (lady in black). Another member is Risa Navales, one of the many WCOPA champions that the Philippines has produced. The rest are Eddie (Hawaiian-Pinoy) , Reby (from Kamuning) and Jun Gacosta from Sta. Magdalena, Sorsogon.



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