Call Center worker, young businessman rule OPM@PAGCOR Bacolod leg semis

BACOLOD CITY – The dream journey to stardom started in splendid fashion for two aspiring singers in the “City of Smiles” as they topped the Bacolod leg of the OPM@PAGCOR, A Nationwide Search for the Total OPM Performer last April 9 at the Casino Filipino Hotel Bacolod.

Call center agent Hadasa Von Camporaso displayed exceptional voice quality and poise in rendering her winning song “Tagumpay Nating Lahat”, while young businessman Charles Kevin Tan, who interpreted “Nais Ko”, earned the highest scores from the judges led by OPM veteran Nanette Inventor.

Camporaso and Tan bested 10 other semifinalists, who were selected from a field of nearly 160 hopefuls that registered for the one-day auditions last April 7. They received P25,000 each and advanced to the grand finals, where they will be competing for the top purse of P300,000 against the other qualifiers from the Casino Filipino branches of Paranaque, Tagaytay, Angeles, Cebu and Davao.

The top two winners of the OPM@PAGCOR Bacolod leg were also awarded with a free performance workshop under some of the country’s respected musical trainers and singers.

“Masayang-masaya talaga ako kasi ilan kaming nag-audition at napili ako para makasama sa semifinals. At ngayon nga, nanalo pa ako. I believe that it was the will of God kasi ang dami ko nang pinagdaanang failures at talagang ipinag-pray kong tulungan Niya akong manalo,” a teary-eyed Camporaso said.

Tan, meanwhile, was profuse in his expression of gratitude to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM) for embarking on a talent search that provides gifted amateur singers like him the chance to break into the local music industry.

“Napakaganda ng objective ng competition na ito. Hindi lang nabibigyan ng pagkakataon ang maliliit na singers tulad ko na makilala, kundi ipino-promote pa nito ang mga musikang tunay na atin,” he said.

Inventor noted the event has given her the opportunity to witness how really talented the performers are from the Visayan region.

“Lalo kong napatunayan na napakarami talagang magagaling na Visayan singers. Kailangan lang talaga ng pagkakataong madiskubre sila, and I believe that through OPM@PAGCOR, makakatuklas tayo ng mas marami pang OPM talents na tunay nating maipagmamalaki sa mundo,” she explained