A triumphant OPM weekend

MANILA, Philippines - It’s been an exciting weekend for OPM (Original Pilipino Music) with the staging of two major events.

The Pinoy Music Festival that drew thousands in the Ayala Triangle last July 31, where local singers (Ogie Alcasid, Christian Bautista Aicelle Santos, The CompanY, Myke Salomon, The APO, Joey Ayala, Gary Valenciano and many more) in the music industry came together with live music and dance to simply let their voices be heard in the spirit of being Filipino.

Meanwhile, last Aug. 1, ABS-CBN Network paid tribute to iconic songwriter, hitmaker and performer Rey Valera with the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra led by Gerard Salonga. Guest performers Sharon Cuneta, Rico J. Puno, Martin Nievera, Vina Morales, Morissette Amon, Tippy Dos Santos, Michael Pangilinan, Edgar Allan Guzman and Antonio Ferrer interpreted Valera’s timeless classics. 

Valera that evening shared many interesting stories of his past.

Coming from a broken home, he opted to live with relatives and was forced to do household chores. At times, he would go to the cemetery and lose himself in solitude to write most of his compositions. Malayo Pa Ang Umaga was actually written there.

Valera attributed a big part of his success to Sharon, who has recorded most of what is in his catalog. During the technical run-through, Sharon shared, “When I was young and didn’t have wings, he gave me wings to fly.”

To which Valera responded, “I’m a songwriter, who didn’t have a face, and she (Sharon) gave me one.”