Words found in the pause

Raymond Lauchengco finds another way to tell his story with 'Dance With The Wind'

- JESSICA PAG-IWAYAN

JESSICA PAG-IWAYAN

At 60, Raymond Lauchengco is still discovering new ways to tell his story. Known for decades as one of original Pilipino music (OPM)'s most beloved balladeers

he has added a new chapter to his creative life with “Dance With The Wind: Stories from the Stillness,” his first published book.

Launched on Dec. 12, 2025, at Breakfast at Antonio’s at Robinsons Magnolia, the book brings together Raymond’s short stories, essays, poems, photographs, and images of his artworks. The collection was born during the Covid-19 pandemic, a period of profound stillness that forced him to slow down, reflect, and create in ways he never expected.

“If somebody had told me before that one day I’d have a book, I would have laughed in disbelief,” Raymond told Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. Writing was never part of his long-term plan. Survival was.

Creating through crisis

The pandemic arrived with a cascade of personal losses. Even before the first lockdown, his sister was hospitalized, his wife contracted Covid-19, his father passed away from a stroke, and his professional bookings disappeared one after another.