Hundreds of aspiring singers join OPM@PAGCOR talent search auditions in Pampanga

ANGELES, Pampanga – About 200 aspiring singers showed off their exceptional singing talent during the auditions for the “OPM@PAGCOR, A Nationwide Search for the Total OPM Performer” held at the Casino Filipino Angeles on March 18 and Casino Filipino Mimosa on March 19.

The group is the first batch of auditionees from over 2,000 hopefuls who signed up for the singing talent search, a joint project of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM).

The disability of 45-year old Jaime Macatangay from San Nicolas, Pampanga did not prevent him from trying his luck at the auditions. Though born blind, Macatangay was blessed with a beautiful singing voice that allows him to make a living out of singing during special occasions like weddings.

He also finds joy in joining singing contests which is his own way of inspiring other people especially those with a handicap like him. “Kahit na may kapansanan ako gusto kong ipakita na may talento rin yung mga may diperensyang tulad ko” Macatangay said.

Macatangay finds the OPM@PAGCOR talent search unique in a way since it is a chance to showcase the best of Original Pinoy Music. He is a self-confessed OPM fan who takes his inspiration from the music of the late Willy Garte, who was also blind like him. His disability, according to Macatangay, is not a disadvantage. “Advantage pa ito sa akin kasi wala akong kaba pagdating sa stage dahil hindi ko naman nakikita yung mga nanonood sa kapaligiran ko. Nararamdaman at naririnig ko lang. Yung iba, pwede ma-tense, ako hindi,” he shared.

Also trying her luck at the auditions was Ma. Jessica Jaraz, a 28-year old pregnant housewife from Mabalacat, Pampanga who was due to deliver her baby in four days.  She learned about the search through a TV advertisement and downloaded her application from the PAGCOR website. “Kahit hirap na akong kumanta, sinubukan ko pa rin mag-audition kasi baka ito na yung last chance ko na makasali dahil medyo nagkaka-age na din ako,” said Jaraz. She noted what makes the OPM@PAGCOR search unique is that it doesn’t have an age limit except for the entry level at 18 years old. “Usually kasi ang age limit ng mga contests na ganito ay nasa early twenties lang. At least kahit na hindi na medyo bata may chance pang magcompete,” she added. Despite her very pregnant state, Jaraz sang a soaring rendition of Regine Velasquez’s “Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw”.

Meanwhile, PAGCOR Assistant Vice President for Entertainment Bong Quintana was overwhelmed by the number of applicants during the first day of auditions in Casino Filipino Angeles. Some even came from far-flung provinces like Zamboanga, Iloilo, Baguio and Pangasinan. “The number of attendees is really overwhelming. We even have to add another day to the original schedule of the auditions to accommodate all of them,” he said. Quintana added that auditions in other Casino Filipino venues have also been adjusted. “In Metro Manila, we already added four more days for the auditions and the venue has been relocated to our Paranaque casino branch due to the huge number of applicants,” he noted.

According to Quintana, PAGCOR and OPM are hopeful that the talent search will produce a new breed of OPM performers “who are not only good singers but also total performers.” “As what OPM told us, we need to have a turnover of artists. OPM has lots of advocacies and our winners in this talent search could join them. If they will have many more members, they could easily pursue their advocacies.” He added.

Meanwhile, OPM artist Mitch Valdez who was Chairman of the Board of Judges during the Pampanga auditions expressed her appreciation to PAGCOR for giving extraordinary Filipino talents a chance to shine. “Some talent searches are focused in Metro Manila alone while some are done via reality television shows, which somehow limit the playing field. With the system we have now, which is to hold auditions in Casino Filipino branches nationwide, we will be able to reach out to the different regions to discover the total OPM talent,” she said. Valdez also noted that the OPM@PAGCOR search would greatly help promote the local music industry. “If we will discover more singers, we will need more composers. If we already have lots of singers and composers, we can influence more Filipinos to appreciate OPM,” she said.

Apart from Casino Filipino Angeles, auditions for the Total OPM Performer will also be held in Tagaytay, Bacolod, Cebu, Davao and Airport Casino in Parañaque. For each audition venue, the top two winners will be chosen and become part of 12 Finalists who will compete in the Grand Finals to be held on June 10, 2011 at the PAGCOR Grand Theater in Paranaque.

The grand prize winner will receive P300,000 in cash, a recording contract with a major recording company and another contract to perform at Casino Filipino branches. Winners will also get a chance to learn from the country’s OPM luminaries through a one week training-workshop.