PhilPop announces finalists from Visayas and Mindanao clusters

PhilPop, the country's premier songwriting competition, has officially unveiled its top 6 finalists from the Visayas and Mindanao cluster. With #MusicBreakingBorders as its newest tagline, the music institution sets its sights in promoting top-notch Filipino compositions on a scale that’s never been done before: by going global and forging regional ties.

Carefully handpicked from thousands of submissions, the first batch of finalists from PhilPop Songwriting Festival 2020 recently graced the online media presentation last August 24, 2020 (Wednesday).

In no particular order, the finalists from the Vis-Min cluster include: 

Visayas:

• Jerika Teodorico – “Ayaw Na Lang” (Cebu City, Cebu)
• Noah Alejandre and Reanne Borela – “Suyo” (Ormoc City, Leyte)
• Michael Catarina – “Hinungdan” (Cebu City, Cebu)

Mindanao:

• John Cadeliña  – “Akong Bililhon”(Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur)
• Christian Chiu – “Kasadya” (Corandal City, South Cotabato)
• Sherwin Fugoso – “Pahuway” (Jabonga, Agusan del Norte)

According to PhilPop Executive Director Dinah Remolacio, the entries underwent multiple rounds of selection process until Top 3 per clusters were handpicked. “We wanted our process to be inclusive so the decision making involved local and international representatives from Warner Music, representatives from our regional partner for each cluster, and representatives from PhilPop,” Remolacio shares in a statement. 

The selection committee is headed by Festival Chair and PhilPop Musicfest National Artist Ryan Cayabyab, as well as Foundation Board Members, adjudicators, partners, and Warner Music Philippines Executives such as PhilPop Musicfest Foundation President Victorico P. Vargas, Festival Co-Chair and PhilPop Musicfest Foundation Board Member Noel Cabangon, PhilPop Musicfest Foundation Executive Director Dinah A. Remolacio, PhilPop Musicfest Foundation Lead Adjudicators Jungee Marcelo and Trina Belamide, Warner Music Philippines Managing Director Ian Monsod, MinPop Musicfest Director and Mindanao Cluster Partner Jeremy Sarmiento, and Kadasig Founder and Visayas Cluster Partner Jude Gitamondoc.

PhilPop is currently wrapping up its adjudication process for the remaining clusters namely: North Luzon, South Luzon, and Metro Manila. The finalists representing the remaining regions will be announced next month.

In terms of the selection of finalists from the Mindanao Cluster, MinPop Musicfest Director Jeremy Sarmiento takes pride of how the top three finalists took inspiration from various sources, yet their songs sounded truly ‘Mindanaoan’ in terms of cultural context and identity. Sarmiento also cited the importance of regional representation, and how this platform helps in introducing different stories and diverse experiences through music. “There's no better way to achieve that than giving an opportunity to those in the regions to tell their own stories. Representation provides a reflection of each of their languages, ideals, feelings and that's what we ultimately need to understand each other better, the uniqueness of the Filipinos, expressed through songs.”

Kadasig Founder and Visayas Cluster Partner Jude Gitamondoc is also optimistic about their official picks for the Visayas cluster, citing diversity and universal appeal as two of main reasons that make these songs a standout in the competition. “I think the songs chosen to represent the Visayas are a great representation of the region,” says Gitamondoc. “We have an electronic-infused track, another one that's soulful, and another that's folksy. That pretty much shows how varied the musicality is in the Visayas. We are at the center of the country. We are a melting pot of cultures, influences, and ideas.”

PhilPop Songwriting Festival 2020 is an initiative of the PhilPop Music Foundation, chaired by Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan. This year's PhilPop is co-presented by SMART, MERALCO, and MAYNILAD, with official partners, Warner Music Philippines, Kadasig, and MinPop.

5G networks, phones not harmful, will not fry your brain

When misinformation on a new technology is debunked by authorities and experts, doomsayers will always find a way to continue to discredit it to a point that logic seems to be overtaken by the need to create confusion or misconceptions.

The introduction of any new technology, along with devices capable of this technology, are now even discredited through propagation of false information and lies.

Take the case of 5G technology and 5G capable mobile devices.

Back in 2000, Bill P. Curry submitted a report to the superintendent of the Broward County Public Schools in Florida, claiming that exposure to wireless frequencies associated with computer networking is dangerous to the health of students. His graph showed an extremely steep increase in microwave absorption by the brain at higher wireless frequencies. This report was used as the basis for fallacies surrounding 5G, that this same wireless frequency posed health risks.  

Smart, Moonton bring Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Pro League Season 6 with top PH teams

Mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc. continues to strengthen its presence in the esports scene by powering the latest season of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Season 6, which is set to run every weekend from Aug. 21 to Oct. 18, 2020.

Ten teams are participating in the country’s largest mobile esports league, including Aura-PH, Onic-PH, BREN Esports, Execration, The Smart Omega Team, Blacklist International, BSB, Blu Fire Cignal Ultra and NXP Solid, which battle it out for the lion's share of the prize pool worth over Php 6 million in cash and freebies.

Nobody’s Home drops ‘80s-inspired anthem “12:00 (Midnight)”

Filipino three-piece band Nobody’s Home reinvents ‘80s nostalgia with modern synth-pop sheen on their debut single “12:00 (Midnight)”—out today on all digital platforms worldwide via Sony Music.

Plumbing greater heights with pulsating synth melodies and cinematic flourishes, the indie rock trio’s maiden song evokes the hallmarks of a generation who grew up on Back To The Future and Dungeons and Dragons, while setting its sights on darker, more subdued production.  

Nicoe Asensio Launched New Single "Silong"

There are some songs that take years to write, and there are some songs that take mere minutes. This wasn’t one of them.

Silong is a song I gave up on many times because it wouldn’t lend me an ending, it is also the only original song in my upcoming album that I did not predominantly write the lyrics for, instead I focused on the melody and being involved in instrumentation ideas with my bandmates.  

I first sat and jammed with Kim Lopez (keyboardist) humming a tune as he played random chords, and it was instant, on the very first try a simple melody sputtered from my lips and that was it, in its raw form, the melody was final, unaltered. Soon after I found myself threading through the lyrics… and that is where I had my many tangles. I first wrote the song in english, it was entitled “Once” but somehow the melody wasn’t sitting in the same mind-space because it was reminiscent of classic OPM melodies from the 70s… so somehow it was asking for Tagalog lyrics. I asked my mom to give a quick listen and she agreed, it did need Tagalog lyrics. I wrote 5 drafts of Tagalog lyrics and was unhappy with all of them. I reached out to a few songwriters for a writing collaboration, and none of the meetings happened. I decided it was time to bury the song. 

Cash-in anytime, anywhere with GCash’s 33,000 touchpoints and more than 40 partner banks

As the number of cashless transactions reach an all-time high amid the pandemic, GCash, the undisputed leader and preferred mobile wallet in the Philippines, is enabling Filipinos to conveniently cash-in to their GCash wallets through more than its 33,000 cash-in touchpoints nationwide and over more than 40 partner banks.

GCash users may cash-in anytime and anywhere to their GCash wallets through partner grocery stores- Puregold and All Day, as well as retail outlets such as Robinsons Department Stores and Business Centers, SM Retail Outlets, LBC, Lawson, and Shell Select.

We Heal as One - Police And Artists Together In Benefit Concert

The global COVID 19 pandemic continues its onslaught worldwide as infections have spread rapidly over the vast population leaving a trail of devastation in both social and commercial fronts. While a period of uncertainty lingers as we wait for the development of a working vaccine, a sustained campaign has been set in place by the national government to drive the balance of saving the economy and lives of Filipinos with the Philippine National Police – Police Security and Protection Group (PNP-PSPG) and PNP Medical Reserve Force being a prominent organization at the forefront of this noble endeavor.

With this, RII Builders Inc. and The Big Difference Communications extends its support to the PNP-PSPG by spearheading a fundraising event via an online concert featuring some of the country’s promising and established musical artists and celebrities on August 29, Saturday from 7-10PM. Performances will be held in their respective residences and in a designated out-of-home location.

Visa launches ‘Lukot-lukot, Bilog-bilog’ online with Tanghalang Pilipino

The musical, which teaches children and youths the value of their bills and coins, is now on YouTube

Visa’s musical production Lukot-lukot, Bilog-bilog is now streaming online for free, to promote financial literacy to children and youths while they stay home. The musical can be accessed through Tanghalang PIlipino’s Youtube channel as part of its PangsamanTanghalan initiative that makes stage plays more accessible to Filipinos worldwide during the pandemic.

Lukot-lukot, Bilog-bilog was launched in 2017, together with partners Tanghalang Pilipino and Teach for the Philippines as part of Visa’s financial literacy program. The musical features teenager, Gwyneth who was given birthday money to pay for entrance exam fees. The play focuses on Gwyneth’s journey in learning money management, with guidance from her grandfather Lolo Sally, best friend Jing-jing, and national heroes who magically come to life.  

BRIA Homes and “Magandang Buhay” award house-and-lot unit to deserving single father

“Magandang Buhay, Magandang Bahay” segment winner
Ernesto Bauzon and his family are set to move into their new
BRIA Home in Magalang, Pampanga
—a fully furnished Elena end unit model.

BRIA Homes, one of the leading housing developer in the Philippines, together with ABS-CBN’s top-rating morning show Magandang Buhay, recently turned over the digital key to a brand-new house and lot to single father Ernesto Bauzon, the fourth winner in their “Magandang Buhay, Magandang Bahay” segment.

The awarding took place in a Facebook live episode last August 14, which had winner Ernesto, his daughter Agnes, and Red Rosales, BRIA Homes President and Chief Operating Officer, joining Magandang Buhay hosts Jolina Magdangal, Melay Cantiveros-Francisco, and Karla Estrada in a conference call.

GCash enables 2.5M Filipinos to own savings accounts amid pandemic

More and more Filipinos are opening savings accounts through GCash, the undisputed leading and preferred mobile wallet in the Philippines, as they found it easier and more convenient than traditional savings products in the market.

GCash Save Money has breached over 2.5 million account holders since it was launched in the second quarter of 2019. This represents a 500-percent year-on-year growth from August last year, when it initially had 500,000 pioneering customers.