'Ikaw' by Jonalyn Viray is the 2013 ASOP TV Grand Final's “Song of the Year”

Crowd favorite 'Ikaw' interpreted by Jonalyn Viray won the  2013 ASOP TV Grand Final's “Song of the Year.”

A Song of Praise Music Festival 2013 Best Interpreter Jonalyn Viray. (ROVIC BALUNSAY / Photoville International)

'Ikaw', a crowd favorite song of praise composed by Boy Christopher Ramos Jr., bested 12 finalists to win “Song of the Year” award in this year's ASOP TV Music Festival Grand Finals Night while Jonalyn Viray received the “Best Interpreter Award” for the same song.

Composer Boy Christopher Jr. and interpreter  Jonalyn Viray  for ‘Ikaw’. (MARLON BONAJOS / Photoville International)

Ramos is a professional composer whose awards-worthy “Ito ang Buhay Ko” won in the Best Theme Song category of the 2011 Asian Television Awards. Viray, on the other hand, is a 2006 WCOPA gold medalist known for her power vocals.

(Left to Right) Runners up at ASOP Year 2. Composer RJ Jimenez and interpreter Miro Valera for ‘I Am Grateful’, 1st Runner Up; interpreter Gerald Santos at composer Christian Obar for ‘Lagi Kang Nariyan’, 2nd Runner Up;  ‘You’ll See Miracles’ interpreter Carl Trazo and composer Paul Hildawa, 3rd Runner Up. (REY VERCIDE / Photoville International)

Meanwhile, RJ Jimenez's “I Am Grateful”, earned the first-runner up prize while Christian Obar 's “Lagi Kang Nariyan” received second-runner up prize,  and Paul Hildawa's “You'll See Miracles” was third-runner up.  Stonefree's Miro Valera, pop prince Gerald Santos and Carl Trazo were interpreters for Jimenez's, Obar's, and Hildawa's song entries, respectively.

ASOP Year 2 Judges. (Left-Right) Veteran actor & OPM artist Joey de Leon; Universal Records General Manager Kathleen Dy-Go; Composer/Singer/Actress Annabelle Borja; Theater actor / singer & composer Audie Gemora; OPM Hitmaker / Composer Mon Del Rosario; Cultural Center of the Philippines President, UST Dean & Professor in Music and Statistics at the Conservatory of Music / International pianist Dr. Raul Sunico, Ph.D.; Veteran OPM Artist & Composer Snaffu Rigor (PRINCE MARQUEZ / Photoville International)

The grand prize-winning song comes with P500,000 cash prize. The other runners-up receive P250,000, P150,000, and P100,000 for first, second and third runner up placers, respectively.

Among this year's board of judges include CCP President and concert pianist Raul Sunico, world-renowned musical stage actor and director Audie Gemora, and veteran film and television personality and comedian, Joey De Leon. Other judges include former Star Records executive Anabelle Regalado-Borja, Universal Records General Manager Kathleen Dy-Go, veteran composer and vocalist Snaffu Rigor, and multi-awarded composer and record producer Dr. Mon Del Rosario.

Judging of winners was based on text voting from the public and judges' scores.

Chairman and CEO of Breakthrough and Milestones Production International, Kuya Daniel Razon launched the show two years ago on television. The broadcast journalist related that it was a suggestion from Bro. Eli Soriano to open a praise songwriting contest that is open to amateur and professional Filipino composers.

The Members Church of God International, where Bro. Eli is Presiding Minister, have been holding A Song of Praise (ASOP) Music Festival but this songwriting contest is exclusive only for Church members.

Today, ASOP TV is the only Philippine songwriting competition which focuses on songs of praises to God aired by UNTV-37 every Sunday. Annually, ASOP TV Music Festival showcases 12 songs out of the monthly finals.  To encourage amateur and professional Filipino composers to join the songwriting contest, ASOP TV gives more than P1-Million in cash prizes.

To download for free all 12 songs of praise entries this year, visit www.asoptv.com.