Ballads, rock, rap, R&B on Philpop OPM revival

As a great fan of the long missed Metropop Music Festival, we had been hoping for the longest time that someone with money, resources, and the love for music would materialize out of the blue to come up with a return bout. And indeed that time has come, in Philpop, a composition-based competition like Metropop, dedicated to the cause of Original Pilipino Music (OPM).

Organized by the Philpop MusicFest Foundation headed by chair Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP), and executive director Ryan Cayabyab (Mr. C), the competition is open to original unreleased songs in English, Pilipino and other native languages, from Filipinos and Fil-Am parentage. The only aspect that bothered us was that the competition was open to both amateur and professional songwriters.

We went through the album given to us during a media briefing. What a wonderful collection of songs, but as we feared, a professional to our mind would win the competition, hands down. The collection of 12 finalists is one of which both MVP and Mr. C would be most proud. There were ballads as expected from the romantic Pinoys whose very lives are enshrined in a kundiman; there was rock which appears to be making a comeback; there is rap which we encounter in every contest on television; pop; jazz; R&B; reggae; hip-hop, and a combination of all genres which is difficult to achieve.

Not being a critic nor music reviewer, we would select our winner simply on what we personally like, in which case our choice would be rock inclined — slow rock, even romantic rock, but not heavy metal rock. We are a ’70s to ’80s music aficionado, and we try to make it to Strumms Thursdays for Juan Miguel Salvador and the Music Authority. In other words, we wouldn’t make a credible juror.  

Judging is always a difficult task. It is always a personal choice even if the juror is an expert and holds a bachelor or post-graduate degree in music composition. When we stated earlier that we were bothered by the inclusion of professionals in the competition, we felt a need for a playing field where everyone is given equal opportunity. An alternative, we feel, might be to open up a different category for professionals.

Meantime, finals night is tomorrow, July 20, 9 p.m. to be carried live over TV5 from Meralco Theater. While we will be eagerly awaiting results of our choices, there are many entertainment tidbits that await the TV and live audience. Ogie Alcasid hosts the show with Jasmine Curtis-Smith. A special duet with Regine Velasquez and Martin Nievera, arranged by Mr. C, will open the show before the first set of finalists go up the stage.

Somewhere in the middle will be a never-before-seen highlight of an a cappella number with at least 20 voices singing a medley of current popular songs, again arranged by Mr. C. The voices belong to Charice, Ogie, the Ryan Cayabyab Singers, 5AZ1, Baihana, The Opera, beat box artist Mike Salomon and The CompanY.

At stake is P1M grand prize; first runner-up gets P500,000; second-runner up, P250,000; P100,000 each for the Smart People’s choice awardee, and Meralco special award winner. All will be given a Ramon Orlina trophy.

Things are indeed looking up for the Philippine music industry. Thanks to presentor Meralco and Smart. Co-presentors are Maynilad, PLDT and TV5. Major sponsors include NLEX, Sun Cellular, Jollibee, the First Pacific Leadership Academy, Metro Pacific Investment Corp., Philex, Sony, media partners Business Mirror, Business World, MYX, Radio Republic, Rappler and RX 93.1. Production partners are Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, Essensuals Tony and Guy, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, Jing Monis Salon  and Universal Records.

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