Win some, lose some; An insider’s view of the Himig Handog Awards

I joined the recent ABS-CBN sponsored Himig Handog sa Bayaning Pilipino songwriting competition as interpreter and lost. The feeling of losing, this hollow feeling in your heart that you didn’t do good in your performance lasted for just a split second. Then I realized that losing is just part of winning. That it will not stop there; that next time I should exert more effort, try harder, do better.

When ABS announced the holding of a competition for a song honoring the heroes of our times, there were more than a thousand amateur and professional composers who responded. I myself got to interpret at least five songs for different composers.

Luckily, there was one song I interpreted with Zebedee Zuñiga and nine-year-old Katrice Gavino which made it to the finals. This was Mike Villegas’ Bayani. Mike has been a long-time partner, and I remember vividly being a finalist also in the Metropop four years back for the song Bagong Umaga which we both composed.

When I learned that some of my close friends like Gary Granada, Cookie Chua, and Anna Fegi were also interpreters, it felt good. If our song didn’t win, perhaps at least one of my friends would make it. And that would compensate for whatever bad feelings would come out of losing. Happily, Gary and Anna made it, and for me that was good enough.

Two days before finals we rehearsed with the band and met with all the composers, familiar faces I had known from other past contests. They were talking, cracking jokes, giving each other insights.

As interpreter, I have my own favorite songs from among the entries. I like Allan Feliciano and Ces Datu’s song Maging Bayani interpreted by my favorite singer Cookie Chua, Larawan by Dodjie Simon, interpreted by Anna Fegi, a superb singer whom I really feel showed her singing style in this song, and Jungee Marcelo’s Super Pinoy interpreted by Jolina Magdangal and the Qto5.

Day before the finals we had a run-through. We hadn’t felt the tension yet. For me, it felt like just an ordinary gig. Composers were chatting with each other, others rehearsing their blocking and choreography. We realized we hadn’t yet rehearsed our blocking for this was our first time together. Zebedee, "the Lord" as we call him since he knows everything from vocal arranging to singing to choreography, took charge and we did the blocking on the spot. Little Katrice was so professional, so focused in her craft, she simply amazed us.

Then I spotted Gary Granada in a corner with this cute girl Jett from Dodjie Simon’s choir. He had a choc-nut in one hand, and a Red Bull in the other and he was telling her, "I’ll give you this choc-nut if you will promise not to break my heart." Wow! What a way to court a lady! Very like Gary. All of the performers who saw them backstage were laughing.

Then there was one of the Bataoke Kids, interpreters of Trina Belamide’s Para sa ‘Yo, Bayani together with Dianne de la Fuente who stood out from all the rest. He was the smallest in the group but was easily the eye-catcher with his movements.

Did I have any misgivings? There is my friend Noel Cabangon, a composer folk singer who is also one of the finalists for his song Ikaw ay Bayani. His interpreters, the III of a Kind were absent and during the run-through. Noel sang his song so beautifully that it captured our hearts. Pops Fernandez rehearsing her spiels as host said, "Sana si Noel na lang ang kumanta." I have nothing against III of a Kind, who were able to lift the song on performance night, but I just thought that the composer knows best the sentiments he wants to convey, and what if he sings his own song? I know it was Noel himself who did the demo for submission to the screening committee but somehow they opted for another interpreter.

Why do we keep joining contests like this? For me, it is here where I find fulfillment and excitement, inspiration from other artists, the realization that I still have to improve my singing upon hearing those really good singers do their best. Competition is good if done in a friendly manner, and the Himig competition proved just that.

Finals night. Everyone was busy attending to their last-minute tasks. Musical director Mel Villena who led the band, Babsy Molina who headed the back-up vocals, Johnny Manahan who directed the superb fast-paced show were getting ready. Kids were playing in the corridors with their costumes on, their yayas running after them to make sure they wouldn’t get soiled. In our dressing room, petite belter Dessa was so relaxed talking in the Visayan language while listening to her song over her head phone.

I saw Cookie Chua arrive with her designer. This was the first time she would wear a gown in her performance and she had a make-up artist to boot. True enough, she was so beautiful with her gown on, like a modern Cleopatra I couldn’t let the opportunity pass so I asked for a souvenir photo with Cookie wearing her gown.

Thirty minutes before the show Anna realized she had no black shoes for her black gown in the opening presentation. I offered my shoes and no one really noticed she was wearing shoes were too big for her!

After we did our songs, the interpreters went down to the audience to watch. Came the last entry, Gary Granada interpreting Soc Villanueva and Arnel de Pano’s Si Ka Bayani, Gary sang the song so naturally with his funny gestures that Ryan Cayabyab, chairman of the board of judges later observed ‘Para siyang daga na naka—labas sa lungga, nakakatuwa.’ For me, it was Gary’s best performance as interpreter, better than Mabuti pa Sila for which he had won grand prize in a past Metropop contest. Here, you could see that he was just enjoying himself, kahit hindi maabot ang nota, kinakaya pa rin. As he said later, dinadaan na lang sa paguwapohan.

Announcement of the winners. Jungee and Jolina for OCW and Youth awards, Dodjie and Anna for People’s Choice, and Soc and Arnel and Gary for the Grand Prize. Frustrations for us losers, happiness for the friends who won. It’s the reality of it all. You win some, lose some. It was a blessing simply to be part of it.

It was a blessing Mike, Trina, Allan and Ces made it to the finals. To win is just a plus. Being there with the top musicians in the country is the best experience anyone could wish for. Sali ulit next year!! As for my friend Gary Granada, he says, "Even if I don’t have a girlfriend, I’m still a winner!"