DILG secretary to speak at AMWSLAI Battle of the Champions

MANILA, Philippines - Interior and Local Government secretary Jesse Robredo has been invited as guest of honor and speaker at the first-ever AMWSLAI AFP-PNP Singing Stars Battle of the Champions.

Set to compete are 11 singing soldiers from the Philippine National Police, Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force and the Department of National Defense.

Jericho Rosales will be the guest performer in the songfest organized by Air Materiel Wing Savings and Loan Association, Inc., whose 230,000-strong membership comes from the different units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Showtime is 8 p.m. on Feb. 2 at the Music Museum.

The contestants are PFC Efraim Rivera, Ensign Mel Sorillano, SPO2 Reynaldo delos Reyes, PO3 Jannet Cadayona, Sgt. Federico Andagan Jr., PFC Malou Eslaga, P/Sr Insp. Edwin Serrano, AW1C Zarah Francisco, Rex Pili, AW1C Mylin Estojero and TSG Wilhelmo Celestial.

The benefit songfest is part of AMWSLAI’s continuing program to help cops and soldiers and their dependents.

Prof. Raul Sunico, dean of the UST Conservatory of Music, chairs the powerhouse panel of judges which includes ex-Pres. Joseph Estrada, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, US Consul General Mike Schimmel, Moy Ortiz of The CompanY, Central Affirmative Company president and CEO Joel Cruz, Joseph Calata of the Calata Group of Companies and the entertainment editors of three national broadsheets and one tabloid.

Noted jazz artist Arthur Manuntag will direct the show sponsored by Beneficial-PNB Life Insurance Co., Inc., Paramount Life Insurance and Advancekonek.

(Tickets, priced at P5,000, P2,000, P1,000 and P500, may be obtained from the main AMWSLAI offices at the AMWSLAI bldg on Boni Serrano-18th avenues, Murphy, Cubao or at the Music Museum on the night of the contest.)