A grand night of music featuring the Top 12 finalists of the Philpop 2013 songwriting competition culminates this Saturday, 9PM on TV5 from the Meralco Theater in Pasig City.

Philpop 2013 began its search early this year welcoming a variety of song submissions from around the world. A total of 3,383 entries answered the call, with mostly Tagalog songs.

“I heard a lot of rock, pop, rap, hip-hop, folk, R&B, ballad, a sprinkling of swing, and dance music,” Philpop MusicFest Foundation Executive Director Ryan Cayabyab said. “There were some attempts to do a modernized kundiman, and quite a lot of novelty songs that visibly entertained us. But after a rigorous selection process, we have the most deserving songwriters who can spark positive changes with their songs.”

It will be a special evening with an impressive lineup of singers in the country interpreting the chosen songs led by Christian Bautista, Karylle, Yael Yuzon, Sitti Navarro, Kean Cipriano, Kimpoy Feliciano, Tippy Dos Santos, and Sam Concepcion. Also performing the other songs are Juluanne Tarroja, Ace Libre of the band Never the Strangers, former 6CycleMind vocalist Ney Dimaculangan, Joey Ayala, Gloc 9, Quest, pop band Six Part Invention, and the duo of Jose Manalo & Wally Bayola.

Joining in the night’s grand musical festivities are Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid, Martin Nievera, The Company, Kanta Pilipinas finalist 5AZ1, Baihana and the Ryan Cayabyab Singers.

The show will be hosted by Ogie, Charice Pempengco, and Jasmine Curtis Smith.

The grand prize winner of the competition will be walking away with one million pesos and a Ramon Orlina trophy. The first and second runners-up will walk away with P 500,000 and P 250,000, respectively. Special prizes will also be given to the SMART People’s Choice awardee and the Meralco Special Award winner.

Philpop 2013 is under the auspices Philpop Musicfest Foundation chaired by business tycoon Manny Pangilinan.

PhilPop couldn’t have done this without its presentors Meralco and Smart. It is co-presented by Maynilad, PLDT, and TV5. Major sponsors include NLEX, Sun Cellular, Jollibee, the First Pacific Leadership Academy, Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Philex, Sony, its media partners Business Mirror, Business World, Myx, Radio Republic, Rappler, RX 93.1, its production partners Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, Essensuals Tony and Guy, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, Jing Monis Salon, and the Universal Records.

— LISTEN TO THE 12 PHILPOP SONG FINALISTS HERE —