Free performances and events await fans for this year’s celebration of Filipino music
MANILA, Philippines – Today Original Filipino Music (OPM) offers a mix of genres, influences, and sounds, with some local artists even gaining international fame.
As Filipino music artists face challenges and opportunities to reach new heights, National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) reaffirms its commitment to celebrate the past, present and future of the industry by holding the annual Philippine Music Week (LMP).
This year, from July 28 to August 1, there will be free performances and events for the public to enjoy, as well as recognition and awards for artists that fans can look forward to. Here’s an overview of what to expect.
A packed opening day at the MET
This year’s celebration is a double event on Tuesday, July 28, at the historic Metropolitan Theater (MET), where notable and emerging figures in the OPM scene will be honored.
Music and Let’s Tune: Concert at the MET will bring together renowned voices and emerging artists on one stage to honor OPM’s rich history and herald its bright future.
Starting at 2 p.m., the audience will be able to enjoy free performances by Bituin Escalante, Charina Balmores, Isay Alvarez, Reuben Laurente, Robert Seña, Rachelle Gerodias, University of Santo Tomas (UST) Singers, UST Symphony Orchestra, Mandaluyong Children’s Choir, and PHILBANDA Children’s Choir. Together, these artists will set the tone for the week’s celebration.
After the opening program, NCCA will hold a prestigious SUDI National Music Awards, which recognizes outstanding contributions and achievements in Filipino music.
Launched for the first time in 2020, winners in multiple genres and genres of production are chosen each year for their impact and influence. However, the awards ceremony is held every three years, making this year’s ceremony even more special.
Twelve winners from 2021 to 2024 are set to receive their recognition:
- Ben&Ben, The New Cebu Arts Foundation, Inc., and MSU-IIT Integrated Performing Arts Association for 2021.
- SB19, Gary Valenciano, Regine Velasquez, Alfonso ‘Coke’ Bolipata, and Maria Alexandra Chua for 2022
- Dr. Marie Jocelyn Marfil, UST Singers, and Vincent de Jesus for the year 2023
- National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) Foundation, Inc. for the Lifetime Achievement Award
The winners will also grace the Metropolitan Theater stage for a performance starting at 8 p.m.
Free meeting
This year’s Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino will also launch MusicStage at LMP 2026, a free two-part conference and concert series about the country’s changing and evolving music scene.
The series that will be held on July 30 and 31 at the Centro de Turismo, Intramuros, will be a venue for musicians, artists, cultural workers, and music lovers to have meaningful conversations about the challenges and opportunities of Filipino music.
At 9 am, the meeting will cover the topic Music and Industry: Heritage, Knowledge, and the Creative Economy, to initiate discussions on Philippine music heritage, education, and documentation, and how the creative economy plays an important role in developing the country’s music industry. It will also be an opportunity for participants to talk, network and collaborate in many sectors of the Philippine music community.
Later in the day at 4 pm, the concert Performance: Music and Sound in Close Space, will present indoor performances as a way to complement the festival’s larger performances. Through less and more focused listening, artists’ expressive depth can be better appreciated and celebrated by peers and music lovers.
The colorful and festive Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino 2026 will end on August 1 for New Music and Let’s Tune: NCCA’s World Series of Awards, an event where selected winning works from the NCCA Design Award will be performed for the first time.
Beginning at 5 p.m. in The Metropolitan Theater Ballroom, the free concert will present songs in various categories such as chamber music, handbell choir, solo organ, solo piano, solo rondala, solo string and solo wind. This showcase of creativity and talent among today’s Filipino composers also highlights the growing array of contemporary Filipino music. – Elise Suarez/Rappler.com
Elise Suarez is a Rappler student from Puerto Princesa City and a Humanities student at the University of Asia and the Pacific.
