Metropop 2001: Pag-uwi a sure winner

For the fourth consecutive year, I sat as one of the judges of the Metropop Song Festival, a project of GMA 7. This year’s Metropop (2001), held last Saturday (May 26) at the new GMA studio at the corner of EDSA and Timog Avenue, Quezon City, consisted of 12 finalists winnowed down from some 1,903 entries from all over the country and from Filipinos in other corners of the world.

As in past Metropop Songfests, veteran and greenhorn composers competed for the grand prize of P500,000 plus a Ramon Orlina trophy which was also awarded to the second-prize winner (plus P300,000) and third-prize winner (plus P200,000).

Some Funfare readers (like Carlos K. Aguilar, Jr., no address given in his e-mailed letter) have been suggesting that there should be two categories in the Metropop, one for amateurs and another for professionals. But I insist that it’s okay to have just one category because, like last year, if you’re an amateur and you beat the veterans/professionals, your victory is sweeter, isn’t it?

It’s just like in local acting awards or the Oscars, with newcomers being pitted against senior and even multi-awarded actors. May the best actor/composer win, whether he’s veteran or a beginner, since the judging is based on the work/performance and not on the length of time a contestant has been active in the field or on his body of (past) work.

In fact, as I’ve been doing in past years, when I listened to the CD containing the 12 finalists, I refrained from checking who the composers and/or the song-interpreters were; I simply listened to the songs again and again. As I’ve been saying, I did so in the bathroom, in the bedroom, in the car – everywhere! – in the morning, at noon, in the afternoon and in the evening, so I would be sure if the songs sounded the same all the time and which ones I liked before preliminary grading them.

From the start, I should say that Pag-uwi was a sure winner. The first time I listened to the song (which reminded me of the Jose Mari Chan composition Hahanapin Ko, interpreted by Anthony Castelo in a Metropop Songfest several years ago, winning one of the top three prizes), it hit me at once where it should – in the heart.

Pag-uwi, composed by Louie Ocampo and written by Joey Ayala, interpreted by Louie’s bosom buddy Martin Nievera, is about the excitement of coming home from a long stay abroad, just like Hahanapin Ko which seems at first to talk about a long-lost ladylove but is actually about longing for one’s homeland.

I had my choices but I won’t say now which ones. At the main event last Saturday, all 12 finalists sounded very good, winners all, when Lani Misalucha sang portions of them at the opening of the show, so different from the way the competing interpreters sounded on the CD and in the "live" performance. It’s a "song-writing competition" (as hosts Ryan Cayabyab and Jaya stressed), all right, but I believe that the interpreter can do wonders with a song even if it may be, well, not so good, just like how a good actor can portray his role very well in a bad movie.

Anyway, Pag-uwi did win the plum, getting the nod of the dozen or so members of the board of judges chaired by Jim Paredes of The APO who (with Buboy Garovillo and Danny Javier) were conferred the Antonio C. Barreiro Achievement Awards "for their significant and lasting contributions to the growth and development of Filipino music."

Second prize winner was Kawikaan, composed by musical scorer La Verne Ducut (with words written by radio copywriter Catherine Carlos) and interpreted by Joey Ayala’s sister Cynthia Alexander. Third prize was Heaven-Sent, composed by Hotdog member Dennis Garcia and interpreted by Ella Mae Saison and the group Saison and Friends.

Louie Ocampo said in a pre-taped interview that Pag-uwi was composed as a Christmas song but he had to change the theme and music because of recent developments in the country. It’s a song that makes OFWs cry, or even you and me.

Let’s listen to it one more time:

Pag-uwi

Kay tagal na nating magkakalayo
Nun’ng tayo’y magkahiwalay ako’y musmos
At sa hardin ng kabataan nangako’t nagpaalam
At hinagkan kita – may gatas pa sa labi
Ewan ba sa’n napunta ang panahon
Sa hanapbuhay buhay ko ako’y nakatuon
Sa bayan ng mga banyaga ako ay manggagawa
Pag-ibig ko sa ’yo’y iniipon
O kay layo mo – ‘di maabot nitong mga kamay
Walang tulay na kayang tumawid sa mga taon kundi ang alaala
Alam ko na’ng ating mukha’y may guhit na
Mga dinanas natin ay magkaiba
Nguni’t sa ‘king pagbabalik, sariwa ang halik
Halik sa ’yong dibdib – bayan ko
Instrumental
Ako ngayon ay pauwi at napapangiti
Pagka’t malaon na o bayan ko
O kay lapit na – ako’y sabik na makapiling ka
Sa pagdating, may luha ma’t wala, ako ay sisigaw at hahalik sa lupa
Kay tagal na nating magkakalayo
Nu’ng tayo’y magkahiwalay ako’y musmos
Nguni’t ngayon ay pauwi at napapangiti
Pagka’t malaon na sinta
Ako ngayon ay pauwi at napapangiti
At hahalik sa ’yo – bayan ko