Cebu Pop winner scores again
A songwriter who won in the Cebu Popular Music Festival in 2014 waited for three years to snatch the top prize again last Friday night.
Ronil Vincent Watin’s funky “Gugma Maka...” was declared as champion for the “Huni sa Kasingkasing” category of the annual tilt’s 37th edition, which was held for the first time at the International Eucharistic Congress Pavilion in Cebu City.
“I’m so happy, Señor Sto. Niño, thank you very much,” he said.
Watin said the idea for his song came from his friends who were either inspired or hurt by love.
Russel Alegado helped Watin in composing the music. Their singers, Kristina Cassandra Dilao, Genevieve Roche Flores, and Niña Bridgette, won as best interpreters.
The other winners were “Good Luck Na lang,” by Yoojin Raye Anthony Burgos, and Queenie Rose Yve Alegado for “Awit sa Gugma” category, and “Singgit Kabataan” by Emmanuel Abellana for “Tingog sa Kabataan” category. The champions took home P100,000 each.
The ballad “Good Luck Na Lang” tells the story of a man who accepts his lover back after the latter betrayed him, while the rousing “Singgit Kabataan” encourages the youth to stay in the light and shun vices.
The other nine finalists, among them SunStar Superbalita sportswriter Erwin Lirazan, also received P20,000 each.
Talisay City Mayor Eduardo Gullas, who sits as chair of the Cebu Arts Foundation Inc., gave a posthumous award to the popular comic actress and singer Elizabeth Indino Ramsey, who died in her sleep in 2015. She was 83.
Ramsey’s daughter Jaya received the plaque from Gullas.
“My mother Elizabeth was indeed an inspiration for the Visayans,” said Jaya, who is also a singer. “Akala po ng mga tao komediyante lang siya, isa rin po siyang mag-aawit (Many people thought she was only a comedienne, but she was a singer as well). She had the best voice I heard.”
Jaya entertained the crowd with a soulful rendition of Cebuano classic “Matud Nila” and Chaka Khan’s “Through the Fire.”