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| PAGCOR and OPM pick the 1st Total OPM Performer |
AFTER four months of a grueling nationwide search for undiscovered yet exceptional amateur singers in the country, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM) finally found the first Total OPM Performer.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marie Joyce Tañaña of Angeles City emerged as the grand winner of the “OPM@PAGCOR, A Nationwide Search for the Total OPM Performer,” during the Grand Finals night held at the PAGCOR Grand Theater, Airport Casino Filipino in Parañaque City last June 10.
Tañaña bested 13 other grand finalists from all over the country with her smooth rendition of Lani Misalucha’s ditty ‘Tila’ which she considers her lucky song. “I always sing this song when I join singing contests. For the last time, I chose to sing this song. But I didn’t expect that it will open new doors of opportunity for me,” she said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tañaña shared she was recently hired by an international cruise ship and was thinking of quitting singing in exchange for a more decent income. “I was at the point of giving up because my past experiences in singing contests made me feel like I was a loser. But when the OPM@PAGCOR talent search came, I said to myself, this will be my last try. If I lose, I’ll stop trying and will work as a regular employee,” she narrated.
When she bagged the championship, Tañaña couldn’t stop shedding tears of joy. “I believe my triumph is really God’s grace. Perhaps it is His way of saying that I shouldn’t let go of my dreams.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tañaña took home a cash prize of P300,000, a recording contract with a major music recording company and P500,000 worth of performance contract with PAGCOR.
Meanwhile, 2nd placer Charles Kevin Tan of Bacolod City expressed his gratitude to PAGCOR and OPM. Apart from the P200,000 cash prize and P300,000 worth of performance contract he received, Tan was thankful to be trained by leading OPM personalities and music educators of the country.
“Our workshop with Mr. Jim Paredes and Ms. Nanette Inventor had a great impact on me. They taught us that as an artist, hindi lang importante yung magaling ka. Dapat tumagal ka din sa industriya, and you will last if you keep on training, growing and improving,” Tan noted.
Third place winner Renz Ruther Robosa of San Carlos City, Pangasinan felt equally overjoyed with his triumph. The 19-year-old Education student is grateful to the OPM@PAGCOR singing search because it immensely improved his singing ability.
“I’ve learned a lot from our workshop, especially when it comes to performing. I learned that singing is not all about hitting the high notes. Kailangan yung kanta maging ikaw,” Robosa said.
Robosa received P100,000 cash prize plus P200,000 worth of performance contract with PAGCOR. Each of the 11 grand finalists meanwhile were awarded P20,000 cash and P100,000 worth of performance contract from PAGCOR. All prizes are tax-paid.
PAGCOR Assistant Vice President for Entertainment Bong Quintana said the nightly entertainment shows of the new OPM stars will begin in July. All 14 grand finalists will be scheduled to perform in different Casino Filipino branches nationwide.
Meanwhile, OPM President Ogie Alcasid, who was a judge during the grand finals along with his wife, Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, felt elated with the result of the competition. “Kami ay natutuwa dahil buhay na buhay ang OPM. The contestants were all excellent. I thank PAGCOR, most especially Chairman Cristino Naguiat Jr. for his support. Walang ganito kung wala ang PAGCOR.”
“The contestants are great. They all have a bright future. Hopefully, they’ll use whatever they learned from the workshop and from the entire contest,” Alcasid added.
Mr. and Mrs. Alcasid were joined by Ms. Celeste Legaspi, Mrs. Tet Naguiat (wife of PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Cristino Naguiat, Jr.) and PAGCOR President and COO Jorge Sarmiento in the judging panel of the OPM@PAGCOR Grand Finals Night.
Invited as guest performers were previous talent reality search champions who are now successful OPM artists such as Erik Santos, (2003 Star in A Million), Laarni Lozada (2008 Pinoy Dream Academy), and Jovit Baldovino (2010 Pilipinas Got Talent).
The OPM@PAGCOR Grand Finals Night will be aired in PTV 4 on June 19 (Sunday), from 9:15 P.M. onwards. |
The 23-year-old band singer said she never expected victory after witnessing the exceptional talent of her fellow contestants. “Nakita nyo naman kung gaano sila kagagaling. So I told myself, after the grand finals, I’ll just take my consolation prize and will ask PAGCOR if it’s ok to let go of the performance contract,” she confessed.
