Would you vote for an Original Pilipino Music party list?
Does “Congressman Noel Cabangon” sound right to you?
For the musicians, artists, producers and other bigwigs in the music industry who were at the first-ever Pinoy Music Summit at the Landbank Plaza Building in Malate, Manila on Wednesday, March 19, it sure does.
It wasn’t certain whether Ogie Alcasid was wearing his comedian’s hat or his Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM) president’s hat or both, but he repeatedly teased Cabangon, president of FILSCAP (Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Inc.) about it.
Hashtag #NoelCabangonForCongressman
Alcasid even half-jokingly told his colleagues to hashtag #NoelCabangonForCongressman.
While some laughed at the joke, others took it quite seriously.
In fact, one group recommended setting up a party list to advocate music education during the conclusion of the summit.
Better to create music
But for singer-activist Cabangon, politics is off the radar.
“'Di pa ko nasisiraan ng bait. I'm an artist. It's better for me to create music. Well, organizing a summit is okay, but to be a politician... not in my vocabulary,” Cabangon told the media during the summit.
FILSCAP helped organize the event with six other music organizations: OPM, MCAP, Philippine Association of the Record Industry, Inc. (PARI, Inc.), Asosasyon Ng Musikong Pilipino Foundation, Inc. (AMP), Sounds Right (Sound Recording Rights Society, Inc.) and Philpop MusicFest Foundation, Inc.
‘We implement, lawmakers legislate’
Speaking to his colleagues, Cabangon said: “Hindi po ito launching ng aking political career. Ako po ay gumagawa ng awit."
“Tama na po 'yung congressman. Hindi po mangyayari 'yun dahil pinangako ko sa aking asawa, kapag ako'y pumasok sa politika, sisiraan po niya ‘ko,” he quipped.
Cabangon also said that what he and his co-convenors need to do immediately is to implement laws and commitments already in place: “Kailangan may mangyari.”
President Noynoy in the house
The summit was graced by President. Benigno Aquino III and attended by Senators Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino and Teofisto “TG” Guingona III. Their presence may help gain legislative support on issues related to the music industry, the FILSCAP president said.
Indeed, Bam Aquino, chairman of the trade and industry committee of the Senate, said he would “look at how the Filipino music can be developed into a micro enterprise all over the country.”
Guingona, meanwhile, said the local music industry should be part of the national development agenda.
"You can count on my support and vote for our artists' aspirations. The reason is clear: OPM is Filipino culture and Filipino culture is the soul of the Filipino."
Cabangon earlier gained the support of the Lower House when he and Ifugao Representative Teddy Baguilat Jr. filed the OPM Development Act of 2014 on Tuesday, March 18.
Pay for playing in PH
The bill seeks a reciprocal equity fee, requiring foreign acts to pay a certain amount when they perform in the Philippines. The bill assumes that foreign acts take away jobs from local artists every time they perform here.
It also proposes to give radio and TV stations tax incentives whenever they promote OPM and play at least four local songs every hour.
Also read: Philpop 2014 finalists announced: pressure on for the next viral song
Meanwhile, Alcasid spoke of creating still another group to give voice to all players in the music industry.
“We thought of creating an umbrella organization that would galvanize all of our ideas. We believe that all us here today are solid and we have one objective and that is to promote and help OPM.”
