ARTIST KO CLAIMS ATTACKS AGAINST IT ‘PERSONAL’
Group says all it wants is to renew public interest in Vispop, promote local music Composer Jude Gitamondoc says his issue against cooperative is not “personal, but systemic”
Artist Ko, a Cebu-based artists’ cooperative, has claimed that composer Jude Gitamondoc’s beef against it is due to “personal issues.”
Artist Ko issued the statement after Gitamondoc aired his side on the controversy behind the “remastered” Visayan Pop Songwriting Competition (Vispop), which is currently being managed by Batch ‘85 of the Sacred Heart School-Boys.
The group said all it wanted was to renew the public’s interest in Vispop and to promote local music by giving a venue to Cebuano songwriters to showcase their work before a wider audience.
“Unfortunately, there are some who are unhappy and who do not support its ‘remastering’ due to personal issues and conflicts,” the group said.
Among the issues raised were Artist Ko’s registration of Vispop as a trademark behind Gitamondoc’s back, and Filscap and royalty issues.
The group stated that though Gitamondoc conceptualized the idea to create Vispop, other Cebuano songwriters like Ian Zafra, Lorenzo “Insoy” Niñal and Cattski Espina helped in turning the idea into a reality.
Although it respects Gitamondoc’s moral rights to Vispop, Artist Ko emphasized that the former should also respect those who helped make Vispop what it is.
“An idea can only prosper when there is support from others. And THAT SUPPORT FOR VISPOP CANNOT BE CLAIMED BY ONE PERSON ALONE, “the group said.
Artist Ko also accused Gitamondoc of not paying the songwriters of the “Gugmang Giatay Musical (GGM),” which he co-produced.
“GGM had numerous shows that ran for several years and even earned nominations, but has not even allocated to pay even a single centavo to these songwriters,” the group said.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Gitamondoc said his issue against Artist Ko is not “personal, but systemic.”
He acknowledged that while he conceptualized Vispop, he worked with Zafra, Niñal and Espina to materialize it.
“I am not denying everyone’s efforts. But those efforts do not constitute intellectual property,” he said.
On the group’s claim that he did not pay the artists behind the songs that came out in GGM, Gitamondoc said, “Again, unfortunately, as falsely claimed, I AM NOT CO-PRODUCER, NEITHER AM I RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE TO PAY THE SONGWRITERS.”
He said he himself had yet to be paid by the play’s executive producer.
He questioned Artist Ko’s failure to inform its members of important contracts and deals it made on their behalf.
Gitamondoc said Artist Ko’s failure to provide full disclosure to Batch ‘85 of the issues on Vispop and its trademark registration placed Batch ‘85 in an “unfavorable position.”