PAGCOR’s OPM best

Original Pilipino Music (OPM) again took center stage during the recent grand finals night of OPM @ PAGCOR 3, the third year of the singing contest and talent search to find the ultimate OPM performer.

As in years past, contestants representing the different branches of Casino Filipino throughout the country converged on the stage of PAGCOR Theater in Parañaque not just to find the best singer, but more important, to support the cause of Original Pilipino Music. Each contestant had to choose an OPM song. The lineup of contestants this year — with the songs they performed — included Casino Filipino Davao’s Yuriko Yoshida (Manalig Ka) and Maria Kristine Laquinario (Iduyan Mo); Casino Filipino Tagaytay’s Johann Enriquez (Kailangan Kita) and Michael Lauren Benedicto (Take Me Out of the Dark); Casino Filipino Metro Manila’s Louie Murphy Regala (Magsimula Ka); Aljon Gutierrez (Ikaw); Janneth Gomez (Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas); and Shane Anja Tarun (Posible); Casino Filipino Angeles’ Karl Aris Tanhueco (Narito Ako) and Harriz Dover Battung (Ikaw Lamang); Casino Filipino Cebu’s Rovee Marie Fernandez (Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin) and Georg Joni Laurente (Wag na Wag Mong Sasabihin) and Casino Filipino Bacolod’s Brent Lawrence Feliciano (Nais Ko) and Marc Lyndon Nacua (Dakilang Lahi).

In the end, it was Casino Filipino Angeles that went home with the lion’s share of the prizes that night when their bets Tanhueco and Battung emerged champion and second runner-up, respectively. Tarun, who deviated from the usual power ballads by performing the rock hit Posible, snatched the first runner-up spot, which came with a cash prize of P200,000. Tanhueco and Battung each won P300,000 and P100,000, respectively. All three also received performance contracts from PAGCOR and will soon be performing in different Casino Filipino branches.

But the biggest winner of the night was definitely Original Pilipino Music, which got so much exposure — not just from the contestants, but from the judges (which included Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-Aawit president Ogie Alcasid and OPM stalwart Mitch Valdes) and from the newly-crowned Junior Ambassadors of OPM Yeng Constantino, Abra and Daniel Padilla, who despite his busy schedule, actually showed up at the PAGCOR Theater to personally accept the honor. As the crowd erupted in loud cheers and applause, Daniel thanked the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-Aawit for the award, and urged the people to support OPM. “Sabay-sabay natin paunlarin ang musikang Pilipino. Maraming salamat.” With the kind of popularity this young man now enjoys, he can be an evangelist of Original Pilipino Music.

The finals night was hosted by Christian Bautista and girlfriend Carla Dunareanu. The two did a good job, though at some point it was a bit jarring to listen to Carla’s accent in a night so clearly meant to focus on everything that was Pinoy.

One of the best things about that evening’s show was the performance of previous winners that included 2012 champion Froilan Canlas, who blew everyone away last year with his rendition of a jazzed-up version of Dahil Sa Iyo. Even a year later, it still sounds fresh, new and contemporary.

If it is to go on and flourish, this is what Original Pilipino Music needs to do: Update, stylize and create. Make old songs sound new so they can be appreciated by a whole new generation. Support events like the OPM @ PAGCOR annual contest so that promising OPM performers can be discovered, given a break and developed. Guys like Martin Nievera, Ogie Alcasid, Gary Valenciano, Erik Santos, Jed Madela and Christian Bautista have paved the way, but OPM will die a quicker death unless we are able to find and develop new talents — and this is where it starts.