MANILA, Nov. 21, 2009—Songs focused on the theme of youth involvement in the campaign for good governance and anti-corruption made it to the ten finalists of CFA’s 1st National Youth Songwriting Contest.
The ten finalist songs have been battling it out for the past two months on the internet and on radio stations all over the country.
Winners are expected to be decided and announced at a concert of the ten finalist entries during the Bidahan II Youth Conference organized by the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) in association with the Communication Foundation for Asia (CFA) and Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB) on November 28, 2009.
The concert of the Awit ng mga Bagong Bida contest finalists will be held at around 10:30 p.m., following the main conference program in Assumption, Antipolo.
Awit ng Mga Bagong Bida contest is part of CFA’s new citizenship education project titled “Engaging the Youth in the Campaign for Good Governance”.
CFA’s Executive Director Terry Hermano said the main aim of the contest is “to use music, which has popular appeal for the youth, as a medium for advocacy.”
The broader citizenship education project intends to engage students in a discussion and realization of their role in coming up with alternatives to bring about good governance and involved citizenship in the next elections and beyond.
At stake are cash prizes and trophies for three top winners to be decided by a panel of judges.
The results of the earlier votes from the CFA website and the texting from Catholic Media Network (CMN) radio listeners will also be factored in choosing the winner. Following the concert, popular rock bands will play for the young audience until well past midnight.
A lot to say about change
Whatever music genre one is into—be it rap, alternative, pop or rock—the Awit ng Mga Bagong Bida competition has it.
Many of the lyrics reveal the impatience and passion of the youth for change.
“Liga ng Kabataan”, an entry by Mark Howell Espinol of Technological Institute of the Philippines, emboldens young people to press for freedom: ‘Na’san na ang tunay na tapang ng ‘yong loob? Sapat na ba na maipakita mong may poot?’
In his entry “Tuloy ang Laban”, Marvin Joker Brioso of Ateneo de Naga declares that the fight must continue: ‘Maghihintay pa ba kalamna’y umaray? Hihintayin pa nga ba hininga’y maubusan na?’
The composition “Now or never” by Stefhanie Ann Yanes of St. Joseph's School in San Jose, Nueva Ecija rocks with conviction: ‘It's NOW or NEVER! Our battle is not yet over…We are the youth, proud Filipinos... In our blood runs the strength of our heroes...’
Cynicism on the country’s situation
Other songs show the cynicism that runs through many young people when they consider the current state of the country.
Erika Cris Panagane of Bagong Pag-asa, Quezon City, in her rap entry “Sigaw ng Kabataan: ang Kurapsiyon ay Paglabanan”, echoes the clamor of the youth to stop the ills of corruption: ‘Paulit-ulit ang pangakong kaya daw paunlarin, nang matapos ang halalan, pangako ay tapos na rin.’
Charles Erick Reyes of Technological Institute of the Philippines, Quezon City, bemoans politicians’ unfulfilled promises in his song “Tambol at Gitara”: ‘Naririnig, hindi naman nakikinig, nakikita pero patay malisya, malayang ihahayag ang nadarama. Tambol at gitara, gisingin ang masa!’
In his entry “Pakitang Tao Lang”, Nerlin Calago of Quezon City reminds voters not to be taken in: ‘Kabutihan n'ya'y pakitang-tao lang …Pagkat halalan na naman.’
Challenges for the youth
Other entries stress the challenges ahead for the youth. The composition “Kabataan Kaisa sa Kaunlaran (KKK)” by Faye Danica Abadicio from Miriam College, Quezon City urges the youth to move forward for change: ‘Tumayo at humayo/ Na tayo, Pilipino/ Ihalal at bigyang parangal/ Mga pinunong may dangal.’
The entry by Jacelle Soleil Manara of St. Scholastica's College, Manila titled “ Awit ng Bagong Kabataan” calls for a new breed of young Filipinos who are aware and involved: ‘Tanong ng paslit na bata/ Saan patungo ating bansa?/ Sino ang dapat mamuno? /Ang makabayan, makaDiyos, makatao?
In “One Vote”, Jethro Martinez, also of St. Scholastica's, believes that ‘one vote can change people’s lives… lead our country to a better place.’
Likewise, in her song “ Bayan”, Christine Mae Argante from Don Bosco School, Sta. Mesa, Manila hopes our country can muster the courage to fight for truth and change: ‘Pagbabago, ‘yan ang hangarin ko/ Sa lupa ng ninuno’t kababayan ko.’
Since early September, all ten finalist songs have been played over CMN (Catholic Media Network) radio stations nationwide. The songs were also uploaded on the CFA website (www.cfamedia.org) so that people could listen and vote for their favorite entry, as well as post comments on any of the songs.
Hundreds of comments immediately poured into the CFA website in the first few weeks, stating people’s favorite entries and their reasons for their choices. By mid-November, three songs had garnered more than 3,000 online votes each.
But the online vote is just one of the two public options for voting as people can also vote through SMS. The total votes will form part of the overall scores of the entries during the final competition when the judges make their own choices during the concert.
The Songwriting Contest and Concert is a project of CFA in partnership with CEAP and the Catholic Media Network (CMN). (Doods Santiago)
