Earthquake song wins Sandugo music festival

Earthquake song wins Sandugo music festival

Stitching disaster wounds with inspiring lyrics and forceful melody, a musical piece “dedicated to the victims of the great earthquake” won the top prize of the 2014 Bohol Sandugo Song Festival during the grand performance Saturday night.

The grand winning composition, Bangon Igsoon, by Engr. Soc Saletrero, strummed in the hearts of the grand final spectators a powerful message of sharing one’s suffering and giving extra comfort that gives human resilience a third foot.

In an electrifying performance, Floryn Rose Vergara sang the piece with life and soul to pocket the best interpreter award and won a “grand slam” with her composer, whose champion work alone was prized P40,000.

This year’s Sanddugo celebration, jointly led for the first time by the Bohol and Tagbilaran City governments and Provincial Tourism Council (PTC), revived the music festival since its last in 2005.

Duyan, a composition of Joseph Gara, won the second prize while Johnrey Fuertes’ Damgo clinched the third top award.

But Duyan’s singing duet, Gara himself and Nabela Gudeto, only placed third as Damgo singer Mercerdita Quichahon got adjudged second best in the interpretation.

The rest of the 12 finalist compositions based on the grand final judging are the following: Bahandi, by Joseph Gara; #Selfie Mode, Nathaniel Rafols; Pagbalik, Johnrey Fuertes; Tagamtama Ang Katam-is Sa Kadaugan, Rudy Tutor; Magmalig-on Ka, Danilo Esdrelon; Bag-ong Paglaum, Soc Saletrero; Basura, Paulito Gelig; Sandugo Pagasaulogn Ta, Ralph Maligro; and Buhing Bayani, Tony Paculba.

Some lyricist-composers also interpreted, in solo or duet, their respective compositions.

Ranked fourth to 12^th in song interpretation are—Johnrey Fuertes, Pagbalik;  Nathaniel Rafols, #Selfie Mode; Charmaign Bagotchay, Tagamtama Ang Katam-is Sa Kadaugan;  Danilo Esdrelon, Magmalig-on Ka; Tom Garcia Vergara, Bag-ong Paglaum; Tony Reyes Racho, Basura; Joseph Gara, Bahandi; Bobith Bieber Leuteria and Ralph Maligro, Sandugo Pagasaulogon Ta; and Robert Mamoc and Tony Paculba, Buhing Bayani.

The Sandugo song festival was launched in 1990 as organized by the Bohol Arts Foundation, Inc., followed by the 1993 and 1994 editions but which were both handled by the vice mayors’ league.

The music competition had two more stagings, in 1995 and 1996, and this time under the First Consolidated Bank which also mainly sponsored this year’s relaunching.

The only since then—and the last before this year’s songfest—was in 2005.

The 2014 Sandugo Song Festival’s board of judges was composed of lawyer Jun Amora, Fr. Jose Sumampong, Jr., Lutgardo Labad, Maria Fe Evelyn Tampos, Milo Miranda and Roland Amila.

A father-daughter tandem, EDCom chief Totsie Escobia and Micey Escobia (Miss Anda of the Miss Bohol 2014) were the masters of ceremonies. (Zjem Kisha Rasonabe Arigo)

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