Filscap celebrates OPM

Celebration is the word that best describes what happened at the Skydome at SM North EDSA last May 21. It was the finals night of the Filscap Songwriting Competition and for the first time in years, the audience got the chance to hear 12 new, exciting songs by Filipino composers.

Toto Sorioso’s entry ‘Wag Mong Isipin won the grand prize of P200,000 plus a trip to Australia to participate in the Song Summit 2010 Conference in Sydney on June 19 to 21. It was most deserving. But I believe that what really mattered to everybody that night was how original Filipino music was given a chance to shine again.

It has been quite a while since we experienced something like that. Those who remember those early days of the Metropop Music Festival when OPM was not only reaping prizes hereabouts but also in other countries, know the feeling. It was the heady affirmation of the Filipino’s flair for music. And I do not mean only as composers and lyricists but also as performers.

I like to think though that the Filscap event was more than that. I say this because the contest finals happened at a time when record sales here is at an all time low and the feeble music industry is competing against foreign releases, piracy and an unbelievable apathy among people who seem to have given up on Filipino music. Don’t you think our artists deserve as much exposure as the Korean pop acts are now getting? 

Let us all hope that this contest will in a way provide impetus to the music industry to get together and present a united front against its current problems and foreign competition. This is very possible judging from the movers and shakers in the music industry who turned up in support of the Filscap event.

There at the Skydome were hitmakers Lito Camo, Vehnee Saturno, Noel Cabangon, Tito Cayamanda and Trina Belamide; Metropop champ Dero Pedero; Champ of Hale; Jay Durias of South Border; Rudy Tee, managing director of Sony Music; Anabelle Regalado MD of Star Records; Alvin de Veyra of Alpha Records; Kedy Sanchez of GMA Music; Ryan Cayabyab as proud dad to finalist daughter Krina; rock icon Mike Hanopol; ace drummer Jun Regalado on behalf of finalist son Nino; Peewee Apostol of Star Music; inspirational diva Jamie Rivera, You’re So Hot producer Marcus Davis with wife Amber; Filscap GM Debbie Gaite; Saturno Music’s Doris Saturno; singing champ Ladine Roxas; performers Robert and Isay Alvarez, Pinky Marquez and daughter Karel; Zac of Tribe of Levi; and Hold On composer Dingdong Eduque; plus many others. Those who were not there, we hope to see you next year.

I was there, too and was privileged along with Filscap chairman Nonoy Tan, to have been able to present the Dangal ng Filscap award to composer Josefino Cenizal. Now pushing 100, the sprightly Ka Pepe who composed the immortal Hindi Kita Malimot is truly somebody that Filipino music can be proud of.

And now the honor roll, the names of winners who might one day be worthy of the Dangal ng Filscap Award are: Grand prize Toto Sorioso for ‘Wag Mong Sabihin. And the other winners who won P50,000 for first prize; P30,000 for second prize; and P20,000 for third prize.

Pop Category: First prize, Choices by Felipe Monserrat, Gabriel Sevilla and Lily Alunan performed by Roxie Barcelo; second prize, Love Can Just Save The Day by Antonino Regalado and Adrienne Sarmiento-Buenaventura performed by Arnie Hidalgo; and third prize, I Won’t Feel Blue by Arcyllin Arcilla performed by Cookie Chua;

Novelty Category: First prize, Isaw by Krina Cayabyab, performed by Baihana; second prize, Walang Kadala-dala written and performed by Moy Ortiz of Company; and third prize, Bloom by Edwin Marollano performed by the Pink Divas.

R&B Category: First prize, Labsong Ng Tambay by Jim Dacanay and Justin Dacanay who also performed their entry with Just Hush; second prize, Like I Am With You Today by Louie Canaria performed by Luke Dacles; and third prize, Ganito Ganyan written and performed by Brian Pascual, Michael Saldana and Jed Caba, who call themselves People’s Future;

Rock Category: First prize, ‘Wag Mong Sabihin by Toto Sorioso; Tayo Na Sa Ulan by Ted Reyes performed by Ram Chavez and Raven written and performed by Tao Aves.

The songs have been compiled in an album distributed by Star Records. Buy a copy, enjoy the music and support Filipino music.