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By Keziah G. Huelar

Sharing her love for music – Princess Bales is one of the rising local artists in Iloilo City.

Her song broke the silence like sunrise piercing twilight. Every note was a reflection of something more profound than a memory; every word an opportunity to reveal a testimony far greater than joy or pain—the truth.

For Princess Bales, the truth of the songs she writes speak not only of the vulnerability of her soul but of the impact of her faith in God and the power of words to introduce beautiful melodies to the senses.

A storyteller by heart, Ces, developed a love for writing at an early age. It not only helped her to cope with life’s struggles but it also gave her a profound sense of purpose knowing that her talent can help empower others: “I wrote a lot back when I was in high school. It’s very therapeutic—It’s an avenue to share what I feel and I think it’s also a way for me to share what I love doing with others.” Coupled with her interest in music, Ces began to compose songs with the help of her brother JM Bales: “As a family, we really love music. We like to sing together. Especially with kuya, sometimes we would compose songs together. I would write the lyrics and then I [would] show it to him then we [would] work on the melody together.”

Ces is currently a second year Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications student of the University. She aims to use her skills in both traditional and new media to promote her music and her advocacy for mental health: “Mental Health is such a strong issue among the youth nowadays. My generation is dealing with pressure and anxieties that didn’t exist in the previous generations. I believe that music and communication can really help impact and encourage young people to take care of their mental health.”

When asked why she studied in CPU, Ces replied that it was the university’s reputation for quality education and Christian principles that convinced her to become a Centralian: “CPU is known in the regions as a university that offers high quality education. And it also has a Christian reputation—which is also very important [to] me.”

At the moment, Ces is working on pioneering a student based organization focusing on empowering women and taking care of their mental health.

Advising young people to pursue God and their passions, Ces encourages her fellow youth to persevere during life’s trials: “It’s always important to take care of yourself and to realize that sometimes you need to rest. Resting doesn’t mean your journey is over; it means that you’re working towards your next steps—bigger steps for that matter.”