NEWSFLASH

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SONGWRITING TILT FOR OVERSEAS RP WORKERS

Manila, Aug. 4, 1998 - The biggest song competition for overseas contract workers (OCWs), also called Pilipino Overseas Workers (POW) has been launched, to find songs that best embody the life and aspirations of Filipino migrant workers.

Called ''The Centennial RetroPOW Song Festival'' or simply ''RetroPOW,'' the competition pays tribute to the Pilipino Overseas Worker who bears the loneliness and hardships of working far from home to support his family.

Len Dante Clarino, president of contest organizer Mainstream Communication of Asia Ventures (MCAsia), announced that this year's tilt is a 100-year retrospective defining heroism, from the ideological and military revolution against foreign colonizers to the modern-day struggle for economic freedom and independence by our new heroes.

''We are looking for materials that successfully express the sacrifices and toil of the Pinoy overseas worker (POWs) in song. At the same time, there has to be an element of hope and validation for these courageous Filipinos included in the songs,'' he explains.

The song writing competition is open to all Filipinos, amateur or professional. Entry songs should be about any of the following: (1) the sacrifices and job-site experiences of POWs; (2) the point of view of family members left by migrant workers; (3) POWs as ''modern-day heroes'' and a comparison of their heroism with that of the men and women of the Philippine revolution who fought for our liberation.

Entries may be in English, Filipino, or combined language, unpublished and must not have been previously recorded.

Twelve song-finalists will be chosen, to be performed by famous recording and concert artists at the grand finals and awards night in November.

The first prize winner will get a hefty P300,000 while P150,000 and P75,000 await the second and third prize winners, respectively. All 12 finalists automatically receive P10,000.

Organizers also foresee a lucrative recording contract. "A major recording company has signified interest in compiling the 12 songs chosen to compete in the finals as a gift to the millions of Filipino migrant workers," Clarino added.