Laguna Water wins World Bank-PPIAF PPP Competition

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Laguna Water, the biggest water service provider in Laguna, was hailed as the Case Study Category Winner of the Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) Short Stories Competition organized by the World Bank Group and the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF), which recognizes innovative ideas for increasing private sector participation in infrastructure in developing countries. 

The Manila Water subsidiary’s case study, “Alternative PPP Model: The Laguna Water Story,” examines how Manila Water through a joint venture with the Provincial Government of Laguna has significantly improved access to clean, safe, and reliable 24/7 piped water in the cities of Binan, Cabuyao, and Sta. Rosa since it took over operations in 2009. From only 14 % service coverage six years ago, Laguna Water now supplies 120 million liters of potable water per day to 62% of the service area. The company has also lowered systems losses due to leakage and pilferages from a high 48% to 12%, and has prioritized water provision and income generating programs for the low-income communities in the Province.

The entry was evaluated and selected by a judging committee composed of independent panel of global PPP experts looking for innovative solutions and best practices for developing and implementing PPPs, who found the Laguna Water Story to be very compelling on how an innovative solution was set up in the Philippines to help leverage PPP projects in water infrastructure. 

The competition received 153 submissions from students and practitioners in over 50 countries around the world, and included examples of innovative PPPs in emerging markets across a broad range of sectors, such as transport, water, energy, and health. A number of factors were considered, ranging from the identification of actionable ideas, replication potential, and relevance to the World Bank Group’s twin goals — ending extreme poverty by 2030 and boosting shared prosperity.

PHILPOP Music Festival 2013 Announces Final 12

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“Your theme, your genre, your song”

PhilPOP Musicfest with the main message of “Your theme, your genre, your song” encouraged Filipinos from all over the world to write song limited only by their creativity. The response to the call for entries was tremendous, generating a record breaking 3,383 submission!

The majority of the entries come from Quezon City, Makati, and Manila and outside the country like Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Germany, China, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Australia, Canada, Norway, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Ireland, UK, Thailand, and Macau. Most overseas entries came from the United States, official entries are down to the Final 12.

As announced by Philpop MusicFest Foundations’s Executive Director Ryan Cayabyab here are this year's finalists and their song entries:

(Photo c/o PhilPop )

Thyro Alfaro and Yumi Lacsamana "Dati"

Myrus Apacible "Sana Pinatay Mo Nalang Ako"

Paul Armesin "Segundo"

Marion Aunor "Do, Do, Do"

Joey Ayala "Papel"

Marlon Barnuevo "Araw, Ulap, Langit"

Gani Brown "Askal"

Raffy Calicdan "Space"

Johnoy Danao "Kung 'di Man"

Lara Maigue "Sayo Nalang Ako"

Jungee Marcelo "Pansamantagal"

Adrienne Sarmiento-Buenaventura "Sometimes That Happens"

Philpop MusicFest Foundation’s executive director Mr. Cayabyab shares that this is the most diverse collection of entries.

“I heard a lot of rock, pop, rap, hip hop, folk, R and B, ballad, a sprinkling of swing and dance music. There are some attempts to do a modernized kundiman and quite a lot of novelty songs that visibly entertained the adjudicating panel. I can’t wait to hear the top 12 that this year’s special panel will present in the finals night on July 6, 2013!”

Respected and renowned industry professionals, from record label executives, musicians, composers, singers, artists, radio personalities, and people from the academe make up the adjudication panel. The organizing committee had to fill around 140 seats throughout the 4-stage screening process.

“It was mind boggling at the start. Going through more than three thousand songs is no joke but Philpop has almost perfected the system. Maraming puedeng winners. Maraming puedeng hits. More than half of the 12 finalists were consistently in the top of the heap. 4 sets of panelists could not have been wrong. Dark horses made it too. It’s thrilling,” Cayabyab adds.

With the hands-on leadership of business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan, the foundation, with the endeavour to involve itself in nation building through music, have set out to identify deserving songwriters who can inspire and spark positive change through their songs and are given the opportunity to shine. This is reinforced by its board of directors headed by Ricky Vargas, Ogie Alcasid, Noel Cabangon, Doy Vea, Al Panlilio, Patrick Gregorio, Randy Estrellado and Butch Jimenez.

The million-peso champion of the first ever Philippine Popular Music Festival is former Akafellas member Karl Villuga with his song “Bawat Hakbang”. The composition, which was about overcoming a personal crisis, was interpreted by Villuga along with his former groupmates and balladeer Mark Baustista.

“We are looking forward to again stage the biggest and most illustrious song writing competition in Philippines history with an even more songwriters vying for the 1 million pesos grand prize this 2013,” says Mr. Cayabyab.

PhilPOP is supported by Maynilad, Smart, Meralco, PLDT, Resorts World Manila, TV5, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, NLEX, Sun Cellular, the First Pacific Leadership Academy, KBP, and Philex.

PhilPOP 2013 is on higher level and is now accepting entries

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After a successful debut earlier this year, the illustrious Philippine Popular Music Festival songwriting competition is gearing up for its 2^nd run this 2013.  As early as January 1, entries are accepted on www.philpop.com.ph, with the deadline running until February 28.

The group behind this this endeavour is the PhilPop Musicfest Foundation Inc, which involves itself in nation building through music.  It seeks to identify deserving songwriters who can inspire and spark positive change through their songs and are given the opportunity to shine. 

Expecting to break the record of 3,000 participants in the initial run, Philpop, under the baton of its Executive Director Maestro Ryan Cayabyab, laid out a more comprehensive and arduous screening process to find the top 14 finalists. 

The competition is open to amateurs and professionals, participant must be of Filipino descent so even those residing abroad can join, the song entry may be written in a popular or new song genre, or a fusion thereof, in any form or structure, as lyrics may be in Filipino, a Philippine regional language, a Philippine dialect, English, or any combination thereof.

The song entry must be entirely original. It must not be licensed to any publisher; has not been printed and distributed as hard copy; or through the internet; has never been previously recorded and must not infringe on any existing copyright or any other rights. It must not have been performed live in any venue, on traditional radio and television, or internet, or pre-recorded and uploaded on the internet, or recorded on video or other format for future broadcast.

The million-peso champion of the first ever Philippine Popular Music Festival is former Akafellas member Karl Villuga with his song “Bawat Hakbang”.  The composition, which was about overcoming a personal crisis, was interpreted by Villuga along with his former groupmates and crooner Mark Bautista. First runner-up award went to Australia-based  Soc Villanueva with his R&B song “Kontrabida” sung by Sam Concepcion.  Young composer Toto Sorioso won the second runner-up prize for his composition “Tayo Tayo Lang” performed by former Sugarfree frontman Ebe Dancel while first timer James Leyte, who works in an IT department, won the Smart People’s Choice Award for his reggae-influenced song entitled “Brown” co-interpreted by Brownman Revival.  Maestro Cayabyab clarifies that even the past winners can still join the competition.

“We are continuing to promote the songs from the Philpop and the album while drawing up strategies to further thrust these songwriters and songs into the spotlight” shares Maestro Cayabyab.  “We are looking forward to again stage the biggest and most illustrious song writing competition in Philippine history with an even more songwriters vying for the 1 million pesos grand prize this 2013”.

PhilPOP is supported by Maynilad, Smart, Meralco, PLDT, Resorts World Manila, TV5, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, NLEX, Sun Cellular, the First Pacific Leadership Academy, KBP, and Philex.