Why OPM legend Nonoy Zuniga opted for all-covers album

CEBU, Philippines -  Did you know it's cheaper to purchase the rights of an international song than that of an OPM composition? We’ve always assumed that because of their wider appeal, musical hits by foreign singers demanded a steeper asking price.

Before anyone could question his patriotism and quiz him why there’s only one OPM single in his latest all-covers album "Beginnings", balladeer Nonoy Zuñiga volunteered a music industry fact that foreign songs cost around P10,000 - P15,000 to get the rights and record them, while OPM songs start at a minimum of P20,000. Which was why no matter how much he wanted to include more original Filipino hits in his 14th record, there was only so much their production budget could stretch.

The singer-doctor was in town recently for his "Love Without Time" fund-raising concert held at the Cebu International Convention Center.

Produced by his former back-up dancer Felipeneta G. Buettner of FGB Productions, the show included the special participation of Rita Iringan and the Cebu Clergy Performing Artist. Proceeds were allotted for the continued construction of the Beato Pedro Calungsod Parish Church of Cantabaco, Toledo City in Cebu and for the benefit of the Daughters of St. Theresa of Valladolid in Carcar.

Further asked why our own songs are charged higher, Nonoy wasn’t certain of the reason. "I really don't know. Sila-sila mga publishers nag-uusap eh, it's not really the composers. A composer can be a publisher, but it could also be that the publisher is not the composer. It could be he bought the song from the composer," said one of our country’s enduring entertainers.

But Cebu personality Jude Bacalso, who hosted Nonoy’s pre-concert presscon, offered a sensible point on the matter. "I think it's cheaper to get an international song because they have a wider market. A lot of people not exclusively from this country buy the rights, so they can afford to lower the price. But for OPM hits, you'd assume that — except if it's written in English or something like Freddie Aguilar's 'Anak' which transcends language — the audience is limited to Filipinos. If you're a writer or a publisher, and that's your only way to make a living, you have to maintain that standard and ask for a higher price. It's very sad."

Distributed by Universal Records, "Beginnings" has 11 tracks with the Joel Navarro original "Swerte, Swerte Lang" as the sole OPM in the bunch. Nonoy said he has been singing originals for the longest time, that for a change, he wanted to showcase songs he performed when he was still starting out as a band singer for a group called Family Birth Control. Famous for his signature hits "Never Ever Say Goodbye," "Kumusta Ka," among many others, the new CD allows his avid followers to listen to the standards he sang nightly before getting his big break.

These include "Night And Day", "Father And Son", "You Can Close Your Eyes", "You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine", "Stop Look And Listen", "The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye", "The Look Of Love", "The Harder I Try", and the medley of "I Don’t Wanna Lose You", "Smile", "We Have Each Other," and "All the Way."

Even when he admitted local sales for his previous album efforts have been bleak, he takes comfort in the fact that his many fans abroad (Filipinos who’ve migrated to various parts of the world) have been most ardent in their support.

"Syempre mabagal. Pero sa abroad, malakas. Filipinos abroad are buying. Kasi ngayon, dapat magpakilala ka na sa mga bata. Mahirap din, sabihin ng mga bata, sino 'tong matandang ito? But it's okey. Ganoon talaga. You age, but you have to age gracefully as an entertainer. Hindi dapat basta ka na lang naluma na nakakaawa," he said.

He’d like to come up with an all-originals album, if time and resources would only permit. For the meantime, the OPM hitmaker hopes that despite the gap, he’d be able to reach out to a new generation of fans who will enjoy discovering his kind of music. (FREEMAN)