Ryan unveils KLIK-OPM curriculum

MANILA, Philippines - In a bid to instill in young Filipinos the love and appreciation for original Filipino music, Ryan Cayabyab recently launched a curriculum on songwriting for high school students at the Training Workshop of Teachers of the Special Program in the Arts (SPA), mounted by the Department of Education (DepEd) in Baguio City.

Teacher-participants in the training workshop in Baguio were introduced by Cayabyab to the rudiments of the special songwriting course, which include music appreciation, music history, notation and songwriting.

It will be introduced this school year and will be taught in an elective class to graduating Filipino high school students for 32 weeks (64 meetings, twice a week).

To get the project off the ground, congressmen who have thrown their support behind the  project  will  each  sponsor  a  music  teacher  and  a  music  class, that  will  utilize  Cayabyab’s curriculum in public schools in their respective districts. Private schools will also be urged to adopt the curriculum.

Ryan said students will learn how to make their own compositions using the workshop and discovery approach instead of a classroom-lecture style. By end of school year, students are expected to have written their original compositions. They will then undergo professional vocal workshop and perform their songs in a recital

Meridian International College (MINT) in McKinley Hill, Taguig City has offered to do the professional recording of the top songs in support of KLIK. The school will also award scholarships to student-composers who will pass their selection process.

The songwriting course aims to support the advocacy espoused by Kulturang Lahi Inuuna Ko (KLIK) and the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM) to promote through music education the love for Filipino culture, heritage, and music.

The decline in appreciation for local music can be seen as a consequence of consolidating the Music, Arts and PE in one subject. In most public schools thus, this means that there is only one teacher who teaches the three subjects.

“If there is only one person who teaches everything even if he/she isn’t well-versed in any or just one of the subjects, then one aspect is sure to suffer. This is where the decline in the appreciation and knowledge about Filipino music happens,’’ observed Taguig Rep. Freddie Tiñga who spearheaded the project and the primemover of KLIK.

OPM president Ogie Alcasid, on the other hand, believes that we have to return to the basics, and start with a grassroots movement if we are to revive the moribund Philippine music business.

Aside from the DepEd, the Department of Tourism (DOT), as well as giant retail chain SM, have pledged support for KLIK.