Tunog Pinoy Star Search Announces 10 Grand Finalists

The final line-up for the first ever Tunog Pinoy Star Search singing competition for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong is now complete. Organized and managed by locally-listed company IPVG Corp (PSE: IPVG) on the Konek Pinoy information service platform and accessed exclusively through a leading phonecard provider in Hong Kong, ten aspiring singers will compete in the Grand Finals to be held on January 28, 2007 at Chater Road, Central in Hong Kong. Filipino TV and radio celebrities will attend the event as special guests and judges.

The Grand Finalists who hail from the various regions in the country are as follows:

August winners: Elija Clave, 17 years old from Malasqui, Pangasinan and Irene Aquino, 33, of Cagayan Valley who now reside at To Kwan Wan and Tseung Kwan O, respectively.

September winners: Julie Ann Jereza, 25, of San Narciso Zambales now staying in Tai Tam and Elvira Manacmul, 39 years old, a native of Dinalupihan, Bataan now residing in Tsim Sha Tsui

October winners: Mary Jane Corpuz, a 33-year-old Filipino native from San Narciso, Zambales and living in Ap Lei Chau, and 52-year-old Sai Kung resident and Bulacan native Erwin Yumul

November winners: Lowelin Addu, 38, from Ilocos Norte, currently residing in Causeway Bay, and Marina Torcuato, 40, from Baguio City now staying in Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong.

December winners: 28-year old Erlyn Guillermo and 29-year old Ruzziel Lumibao. Guillermo is currently living on Hong Kong island and is previously from Iloilo City, and Ruzziel is working in Sai Kung and originally from Ilocos Sur.

New votes for the top 10 finalists are now being received and will end at 5pm on January 25, 2007, three days before the Grand Finals.

"The turnout for Tunog Pinoy Star Search is indeed overwhelming, though not surprising. We know how Filipinos can be such music lovers and how easily they can adapt to new technologies," shares Eric Paragas, IPVG SVP-BPO. "Besides promoting pure Pinoy talent, Tunog Pinoy helps in keeping our OFW kababayans in touch and informed with the latest news whether in current events, sports or entertainment through Konek Pinoy."

Launched last August 2006, two winners were selected every month from hundreds of participants who used their phonecards to record their songs. Their entries were aired on the weekly Philippines Tonight Show (PTS) on Metro Plus AM 1044 radio. Listeners were invited to cast their votes for their preferred contestant also using phonecards. The contest attracted close to 400 aspiring singers and about 350,000 votes were received during the elimination periods.

As a run-up to the Grand Finals, the top 10 finalists will be featured and interviewed in the upcoming weeks on the Philippine Tonight Show. Listeners of the show will also be able to phone in to give their prediction on who will be the first Tunog Pinoy Star Search singing champion. Under the rules of the contest, the winners will be selected 60% based on public votes (made through phonecards) during the period from 11pm Friday 22nd December 2006 to 5pm on Thursday 25th January 2007, while the remaining 40% will come from the panel of judges based on the live performances at the Grand Finals.

The Grand Finals will be aired live in Hong Kong by Metro Plus AM 1044, an afternoon weekend radio programme. Philippine residents can also tune in by logging on http://www.metroradio.com.hk/1044metroplus/, January 28, 2006 - Sunday at 3.00 pm. Winners of the singing contest will receive fabulous prizes, including a recording contract with Viva Records. Mechanics and details of the competition are available at all major phonecard outlets in Hong Kong.