IT WAS a visit well spent. For 12 days, I was able to reconnect with family, as well as batchmates from Cebu Normal Laboratory School Batch 1969, Abellana National School Batch 1973 and the USC College of Law Class 1981.
Also, I made it my mission to establish contact with some of the important players in the thriving Cebu music scene. I met folk music/Christian music pioneer Manny Lapingcao, Kadasig’s Jude Gitamondoc, 1032 Recording’s Jad Bantug, Fat Boy Production’s Kurt Fick, 22 Tango’s Cattski, Kalye Musika’s Brian Sacro, OBM’s Bryan Balucan, Missing Filemon’s Insoy Niñal and the people behind “Abtik Pa’s Kilat” musical and album. All of them are busy doing their bit to promote original song materials and making a living out of it and those are music to the ears. Cebu has established itself as the indie music capital of the Philippines, that record companies from Manila have started poaching local talents. But there is a simmering disharmony affecting the industry, as it has become more competitive in terms of creativity and business. All I can say to you guys is that you should all be proud for raising the standard of music recording and distribution. There is no need to bicker among yourselves. Just do your best; you’ve got the world to conquer.
Which brings me to the Cebu Siloy Music Awards on its third year. Last year, Karencitta ruled the selection with Song of the Year (“Cebuana”), Best Vocal Performance, Female and Breakthrough Artist, while Insoy Niñal of Missing Filemon earned the Best Vocal Performance, Male for “Kawanangan.”
This time, we asked for nominees from people knowledgeable about Bisaya-speaking artists and their songs, as well as researched on materials uploaded primarily in Youtube in 2018. The aim of Cebu Siloy Music Awards is to recognize the best Bisaya music artists and their works.
These are some of the nominees: Best Song (for composer): “Aurora Sunrise” performed by Franco - Franco Reyes; “Be Mine” performed by Intertwined - Amanda Gabucan & Henrick James Pestaño; Best Vocal Performance, Male: Ferdinand Aragon, “Nagabarog”; Franco Reyes, “Aurora Sunrise.”
Best Vocal Performance, Female: Gerlyn Abano, “Forever Na Mi;” Jacky Chang, “Uli Na Diri”; Jewel Villaflores, “Taytayan”; Karencitta, “No Apology”; Best Vocal Performance, Duo or Group: Gerlyn Abano & Johnel Bucog, “Bisaya”; Mampor & Me featuring Jacky Chang, “Uban Tang Duha”; Mandaue Nights, “First Kiss”; Best Rock/Reggae Performance: Emping, “Ania Ako”; Errorcheck, “Husto Na”; Junior Kilat, “Shodi Abas”; Missing Filemon, “Hugot”; Breakthrough Artist: Ferdinand Aragon, “Nagabarog” and Geed Manfred Suaybagion, “Gugmay’ng Way Libog.”