The FILSCAP Foundation, Inc., last week sent out a call for entries to the FILSCAP Songwriting Competition. The contest aims to provide incentives to established composers, to discover new talents, and to provide the deserving works with both a national and international showcase by way of radio, television, print, and other media exposure.
 
Esteemed composer Vehnee Saturno, a trustee of the foundation, sees this as an excellent way to give Filipino music its much needed boost. "I was very fortunate when I was starting out because Filipino music was getting a lot of support from the government and the record companies," recalls Vehnee, who was himself a winner of several songwriting contests here and abroad.
 
Among these winners were “Isang Dakot,” which copped the Grand Prize at the 6th Metro Manila Popular (Metropop) Music Festival, and “Be My Lady,” a finalist at the 5th Metropop, which became a big hit for Martin Nievera.
 
"Filipino music now has to contend with competition not only from America and the UK but also [from] Korea," continues Vehnee. "There is also piracy and the economic situation. Konti na ang bumibili ng CD. So we thought we should do something to get composers writing hit songs again, and FILSCAP is the best organization to initiate the effort."
 
There are four categories in the competition: Pop, R&B, Rock, and Novelty. Entries can be in any Filipino dialect or in English. Contestants can submit only one entry. Entries will be accepted starting Tuesday, December 1, until February 15, 2010.
 
At stake for the winners are cash prizes in the amount of P200,000 Grand Prize; P50,000 First Prize, P30,000 Second Prize, and P20,000 Third Prize for every category; P10,000 for each of the twelve finalists; a commemorative album with top singing stars performing the twelve finalists; and a trip to Australia for the Grand Prize winner to be part of the Song Summit 2010 Conference in Sydney on June 19-21, 2010, which will feature internationally acclaimed artists and songwriters and panel discussions on topical issues regarding the music industry at large. 
 
The contest is open to Filipino composers and lyricists of all ages except members of the board of the FILSCAP Foundation, of the FILSCAP Board of Trustees, of the competition steering committee, employees of FILSCAP, and Grand Prize winners of past songwriting competitions.

"We thought it best to disqualify previous winners," says Vehnee, “to give others a chance."
 
Entries can be sent in MP3 format through the FILSCAP songwriting website, songwritingcompetition@Filscap.com.ph, or send to the FILSCAP office at 140 Scout Rallos St. Barangay Sacred Heart, Quezon City.
 
The FILSCAP Foundation is the music nurturing arm of FILSCAP, The Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. It was established to preserve and make known the music legacy of the Filipinos; to provide incentives for composers and authors to continue making hits; and to discover and nurture the talents of young composers and authors who will provide the hits of tomorrow.