Remembering Tara
by William I. Casabar and Sam Vincent E. Tadeos

Music, Friendship, and Love—these three simple but powerful words embody Tara’s individuality which sooner became the subtitle of Tara’s recently concluded Tara’s Theme concert held last November 28, 2009 at the Meralco Theater in Pasig City.

If we can still remember, Tara Santellices, 23 year-old graduate of the Ateneo de Manila, is the daughter of two of Pru Life UK’s financial advisers from Ruby branch. On her way home, coming from a night out with a friend on the eve of her 23rd birthday on August 6, 2008, she was shot in a midnight robbery inside a passenger jeep along Cainta, Rizal. The incident left her comatose and after almost a year of fighting for her life, the Lord finally ended her suffering.

Music, unlike any other forms of art, really finds its way directly to our hearts. Just like the way Tara has touched people’s hearts, it is through music that she will always be remembered.

Her tribute concert, co-presented by Pru Life UK and other organizations, unfolded how music has played a very important role in Tara’s life. In the souvenir program, Larry and Anne Santelices, Tara’s parents, expounded that they got it’s inspiration from the preaching of a Jesuit priest of the Gospel, way back in Larry’s college days. It was about Jesus Christ’s anger when merchants used the temple as a marketplace. In connection, the homily focused on the lack of respect for another temple—the human life—which greatly resembles Tara’s case. They thought that this message should be conveyed to all using music as a medium, in a tribute concert.

An array of local artists willingly shared their talents, including De La Salle University Chorale, Coro San Benildo, House of Dance, Julie Borromeo Performing Arts, Komunikasyon Club of Assumption Antipolo, Musica Chiesa, Mel Orosa, Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra’s Flute and String Trio, Philippine Madrigal Singers, Saffron Speedway (her band), Karylle and Jose Mari Chan. Not to be outdone were Tara’s sister Lila and dad Larry in a heartwarming performance of the song “Sounds of Silence”.

Karylle, while on stage said, “Tara and I became friends in an unconventional way”, for she portrayed the role of Tara on her life story on “Maalaala Mo Kaya”, a long-time running real life TV series in the country.

For the majority, Tara’s was just one of the many cases of colorful but short-lived existence. But for the people whom she have shared her life with, she is an inspiring lady with an unfathomable love especially to those who are under privileged and in great need. In one of the reports on national television in the heat of the incident, it was briefly mentioned that she wanted to work at UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund), specifically to advocate for children’s rights—their survival, development and protection, as guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

One evidence of her soft heart is when she adopted stray cats. In the souvenir program, Tara amazed her parents with how she took care of those, nursing them like human babies.

Tara’s life revolved around music, friendship and love. But just like a beautiful song, hers also had to end, sadly, sooner than everybody expected. But Tara’s loving memory will forever live in our minds and our hearts through the music that she made.