Song writing contest part of Sinulog fete

As early as last August, Augustinian priests at the Basilica Del Santo Niño have started to map out the nine-day general program for the Masses and novenas for the Fiesta Señor.

This year some activities will be added to the festivity in the basilica and this will be the Sto. Niño Song Writing Contest or Huniño and the exhibit of various titles and images of the Holy Child Jesus in the Philippines and from other countries.

The competition, aptly titled Huniño -which means Huni Alang Kang Sto. Niño (Music for Santo Niño)- is open to all amateur and professional songwriters with their entries either in Cebuano, English or Filipino or a combination of all three.

Just like the annual Cebu Popular Music Festival, the Huniño song writing competition allows composers to submit as many entries as they want. However, only one song per composer will make it to the finals which will be determined by the ranking it gets during the screening.

From the 122 entries that were submitted only 12 entries were chosen from six amateur composers and six professional composers from different parts of Cebu.

All chosen compositions will be released in a compact disc.

The competition of the 12 finalists will be held in the basilica on the night of January 10 wherein the grand prize winner will get P50,000 in cash, P30,000 will go to the second prize winner while the third prize winner gets P20,000.

P10,000 will go to the best interpreter while P5,000 will be given to the non-winners of the competition.

Aside from the competition, an exhibition of 30 icons of the Santo Niño will also be held in the basilica. - Jasmin R. Uy/BRP