Reyma Deveza

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Provided by Josh Mercado

Josh Mercado

<div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1761198719278image2.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>&quot;We Come To You&quot; wins the top prize at the Purihi&#x27;t Pasalamatan national songwriting competition. Photo by Josh Mercado </div>In an ongoing effort to maintain and recreate the vibrant history of Filipino liturgical music, the Jesuit Music Ministry recently revealed the winners of the inaugural Purihi&#x27;t Pasalamatan National Songwriting Competition at Kalle 5 in Quezon City.The song &quot;We Come To You&quot; by Anthony Go Villanueva and Joel Zaporteza and performed by Kammerchor Manila earned first place.This was followed by Jay-El Blaza Viteño&#x27;s song &quot;Umawit ang Sambayanan,&quot; which was performed by the Eastern Chamber Singers, and &quot;Tayo&#x27;y Magsiawit at Magpuri&quot; by Erwin Vargas and sung by the Ambassadors for Christ Chamber Singers.The liturgical compositions of the other three finalists—&quot;Halad Pasalamat&quot; by Jundel Bacalso and LYRe, &quot;Ang Among Mga Halad&quot; by Bryan Angelo Bisin, Nathaniel Cabañero, and Koro Crescendo, and &quot;Magtipon Bayan ng Diyos&quot; by Fr. Leo Alaras and Coco Recoleto—were also honored during the event.The Finals Board of Judges, which was chaired by Fr. Manoling Francisco, SJ, with professor Alejandro Consolacion II, Dra. Maria Theresa Vizconde-Roldan, professor Jude Roldan, Fr. Fruto Ramirez, SJ, and Fr. Nemesio Que, SJ, selected the finalists from the preliminary round panel, which included renowned composers and church musicians Norman Agatep, Kenneth Dacanay, and Aldo Joson.As for the nomination of the late priest-composer Eduardo Hontiveros, SJ, as a National Artist for Music, Fr. Nono Alfonso, SJ, executive director of Jesuit Communications, the group that organized the aforementioned songwriting competition, provided an update to ABS-CBN News.&quot;We entered his name. &#x27;Yun lang ang masasabi namin. Deliberations are ongoing. This is our third attempt,&quot; he said.&quot;We know from the past that the objections were… na si father Hontiveros daw, his music, only caters to the Catholic Church, to the Catholic faith hood. That&#x27;s something like 85% of the Filipino nation,&quot; he added.Fr. Alfonso went on to consider the legacy of the Father of Filipino Liturgical Music: &quot;We also believe that his music has become part of the secular music. For example, sa EDSA People Power, kinakanta &#x27;yung &#x27;Pananagutan,&#x27; &#x27;yung &#x27;Ama Namin&#x27; din. His music has become part of our anthem as well. We firmly believe that Fr. Hontiveros serves not only the Catholic Church but also the Filipino people, which is why we are advocating for his recognition as a national artist in music.&quot;&quot;I was in France. Nagulat na lang ako na &#x27;yung misa was in French and yet &#x27;yung choir kumanta ng songs ni Fr. Hontiveros like &#x27;Papuri sa Diyos&#x27; and others. His song is being sung not only in the Philippines, but anywhere Filipinos are. We have to recognize that. Source of Filipino pride siya,&quot; he emphasized.The music of the late priest-composer inspired the first songwriting competition, which aims to encourage a new generation of composers to write liturgical music in the vernacular, ensuring that sacred music continues to serve as a meaningful bridge between Filipino faith and culture.

In an ongoing effort to maintain and recreate the vibrant history of Filipino liturgical music, the Jesuit Music Ministry recently revealed the winners of the inaugural Purihi't Pasalamatan National Songwriting Competition.

In an ongoing effort to maintain and recreate the vibrant history of Filipino liturgical music, the Jesuit Music Ministry recently revealed the winners of the inaugural Purihi't Pasalamatan National Songwriting Competition.

Purihi't Pasalamatan reveals winners; prayers for Fr. Hontiveros as Nat'l Artist continue

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Purihi't Pasalamatan reveals winners; prayers for Fr. Hontiveros as Nat'l Artist continue

Josh Mercado

Published October 23, 2025 05:40 PM PHT

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Jesuit Music Ministry

National Artist

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