The Tawag ng Tanghalan story

Until the ABS-CBN noontime show It’s Showtime revived the original singing-talent search, Tawag Ng Tanghalan (TNT) hardly rang a bell among the new generation of music lovers glued to modern-day talent searches such as American Idol, X-Factor, The Voice and America’s Got Talent which are franchised by other countries. TNT greatly helped It’s Showtime regain viewership when it was challenged by the AlDub Kalyeserye of the rival show Eat, Bulaga!

The TNT story is worth retelling. Here it is as researched by Funfare contributor Celso de Guzman Caparas:

Sponsored by the Philippine Manufacturing Corporation (PMC), Tawag Ng Tanghalan started in mid-1954, aired every Monday night at 7:30. The first grand national finals were held on June 27, 1955, at the Manila Jockey Club broadcast over DZBB. Jaime de la Rosa was the emcee while hosts Patsy and Lopito provided the comic relief.

The first extensive nationwide search attracted 45,000 vocalists and instrumentalists who participated in the Purico Amateur Hour and remote shows throughout the country for a year. Besides Manila, the program was broadcast in Dagupan, Naga, Iloilo, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Davao where regional finals were held. The contests in far-flung towns and barrios were conducted in Purico’s roving audio-visual trucks and winners were sent to the nearest radio station to compete in the weekly contest. The finalists from Visayas and Mindanao were flown to Manila via Philippine Airlines and those from Luzon like Dagupan City traveled by train.

Contestants were always on their toes because a gong was banged to eliminate out-of-tune performers.

Prior to the national finals, Cesar Legaspi, a prominent Neo-Realist painter (Celeste Legaspi’s father named National Artist for Visual Arts in 1990) who had just returned from Madrid and Paris, won the Purico trophy-design contest. The Legaspi study was a modern symbol of achievement in radio entertainment. His design was chosen by the Philippine Advertising Associates, Inc. (PAAI) at the Manila Overseas Press Club. The statuette was dubbed the “Oscar of the Local Radio Industry” and was used until 1969.

The champions from 1955 to 1957 were named Best Amateur Entertainer and Most Outstanding Talent Discovery from 1958 to 1972. From 1955 to 1969, the Top 3 winners received trophies, certificates of honor, home appliances, cash prizes of P500, P250 pesos and P100, respectively. Consolation prize of P25 each and certificates of honor were awarded to the remaining finalists. Top 3 winners from 1970 to 1973 received P3,000; P2,000; and P1,000 cash prizes.

The grand national finals of regional champions was not held from 1966 to 1969 for unknown reasons; only Manila champions competed in the grand finals.

TNT was a public-service program of Procter and Gamble PMC for 14 years and was produced and managed by ABS-CBN the last three years. TNT was turned into movie in 1958 by Sampaguita Pictures, directed by Armando Garces and starring Amalia Fuentes, Juancho Gutierrez, Susan Roces, Romeo Vasquez and Jose Mari.

Here’s the Honor Roll (including winning songs and regions represented), plus some trivia. Most of the champions joined showbiz:

• 1955: Jose Gonzales (a.k.a. Pepe Pimentel), Angelitos Negros, Central Luzon-Manila. Part of Pepe’s prize package was a screen test from LVN Pictures. He’s the brother of film and stage director Narciso Pimentel Jr.
• 1956: Rizal “Boy” Ortega Jr., Ponciana, Northern Mindanao. From Cagayan de Oro City, then 19-year-old Boy was taking up Commerce when he won. Screen test from Sampaguita Pictures and recording contract were among his prizes. Armando Ramos, the Prince of Kundiman from Tondo, Manila, placed second to Boy.
• 1957: Larry Martinez, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, Southern Mindanao. From Davao City, Larry also received a stage contract with Clover Theater, screen test from Premiere Productions, boxes of Alpine milk, Estrella watches and Cookrite stovette.
• 1958: Diomedes Maturan, Rose Tattoo, Central Luzon-Manila. A Constellation radio-phono ensemble and a full-week engagement at the Manila Grand Opera House were among his prizes. Diomedes had tried three years before he finally won. He would later be billed as the “Perry Como of the Philippines.” Among the judges were Tony Maiquez, Jose Carreon, Leopoldo Silos Jr. and Eddie Ilagan.
•  1959: Cenon Lagman, Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin Ko, Central Luzon-Manila. Then a senior high student, the fisherman’s son from Masantol, Pampanga, sang only Tagalog serenade songs. He also received a Constellation Carousel hi-fi set and a stage engagement at the Manila Grand Opera House. Judges included Ariston Avelino, Restie Umali and Constancio de Guzman.
• 1960: Rufina Esperancilla, Pandangguhan, Central Luzon-Manila. From, Pasig, Rizal, Rufina was then a laboratory technician at the Bureau of Health. A champion for nine consecutive weeks, she sang nothing but Tagalog folk songs and ballads including Sa Libis ng Nayon, Magbabakya, Dalagang Pilipina and Pandanggo sa Bukid. She took home an 8.1 cu. ft. G.E. refrigerator. Rufina won second place in the 1955 La Tondeña Amateur Hour aired over DZBB.
• 1961: Leon Ibrado, The Night Has A Thousand Eyes, Western Visayas. From Bacolod City, Leon is a cousin of actor Pancho Magalona. He received a 9 ft. G.E. refrigerator. Leon won third prize in Tawag’s sister program, Halintang sa Kadungganan in 1957.
• 1962: Conchita Peñalosa, If You Are But A Dream, Southern Mindanao. Then 17-year-old Conchita was a six-week winner of Davao City’s PMCAmateur Night. Part of her prize package was a 9 cu.ft. G.E. refrigerator.
• 1963: Boy Leonardo, Tammy, Central Luzon-Manila. From San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City, Boy was then a 15-year-old high school sophomore. Among his prizes were a movie contract with Dalisay Pictures, Inc. and a 9 cu.ft. G.E. refrigerator.
• 1964: Eva Adona, Somewhere Over The Rainbow, Central Luzon-Manila.
• 1965: Rosendo “Jun” Peña, Autumn Leaves, Northern Luzon. Jun also received a 9 cu.ft. GE refrigerator and a stage engagement at the Clover Theater. Born in Sexmoan, Pampanga, Jun was a student of Joe Quirino at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran where he finished AB. He was also an orator and a choir soloist. He was tagged as Johnny Mathis of the Philippines. Jun was chosen by a panel of judges composed of Ariston Avelino, Josefino Cenizal, Restie Umali, Leopoldo Silos Jr. and Bert Tirona.
• 1966: Elizabeth Torres, Bewitched, Manila. (No photo available.)
• 1967: Nora Aunor, Moonlight Becomes You, Manila. Prior to her victory, Nora flunked her first audition. She passed on her second try and was eventually named “Mang-aawit ng Linggo” but was dislodged by defending champion Jose Yap. On both occasions, she used her real name, Nora Villamayor. After a year, Nora tried her luck again using Aunor as her last name (after her uncle Sgt. Saturnino Aunor) and sang People, beating the defending champion, policeman Oscar Antonio. Then 14 years old, Nora was undefeated for 14 consecutive weeks. She was also the champion of The Liberty Big Show and Darigold Bulilit Contest hosted by Leila Benitez where she was undefeated also for 14 weeks.
• 1968: Elizabeth Ledesma, People, Manila. A three-week champion, she beat six other finalists including Edgar Mortiz who was a champion for 13 consecutive weeks, Nelson Doreza and Corazon Santos, 12-week and eight-week champions, respectively. She also bagged a movie contract with VP Pictures.
• 1969: Jonathan Potenciano, You’re Closer To Me, Manila. Jonathan beat eight other finalists.
• 1970: Novo Bono Jr., If You Go Away, Eastern Visayas. He  received a sports car, trip to San Francisco, California, and a one-year contract with ABS-CBN. Novo of Cebu City, then a senior AB Political Science at the University of Visayas, was the son of a police major in the Cebu Police Department. He was only eight years old when he won the finals of Wee Wee Jamboree followed by Darigold’s Jambo Jamboree and PMC Amateur Hour. Judges were Ading Fernando, Restie Umali, Francisco Buencamino Jr., Bert Tirona and Lt. Col. Willie Chavez.
• 1971: Alice Mendez, A House Is Not A Home, Eastern Visayas  From Cebu City, she was AB graduate of University of Visayas. Among her prizes were a trip to Los Angeles, California, and a brand-new car, among others.
• 1972: Marsha de Vera, Where Am I Going, Central Luzon-Manila. Then an 18-year-old Chemistry student from FEU, she received a BF Homes house and lot, a 17-inch Radiowealth Consul television, a Kolski piano and a one-year contract with ABS-CBN. In the judging panel were Ading Fernando, Merci Molina, Ricardo del Rosario, Nitoy Escano and Ric Zamora.

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