The Kalahi-CIDSS (Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan–Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Region VIII is inviting all songwriters, both amateur and professional, in Eastern Visayas  to join the Kalahi-CIDSS Songwriting Competition for the Kamurayaw Music Festival (Pasundayag alang sa Kamurayawan) set on October 2015. The competition aims to highlight the milestones and benefits of the program’s Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach in peace, people empowerment and development.

Song entries should embody the success of Community-Driven Development, PAMANA’s (PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn) peacebuilding practices and the gains harnessed in our communities in attaining the development objectives of Kalahi-CIDSS. The song piece may also depict Kalahi-CIDSS’ twelve years of glorious feats in poverty reduction, community empowerment and improved local governance. The regions’ rise above past challenges like disasters, conflict and sectoral discrimination which were battled through CDD, could also be included as an element of the song.

Said competition is open to all songwriters (amateur or professional) who are of Filipino citizenship or of Filipino descent residing in Eastern Visayas. An individual composer or lyricist and/or a collaboration of two or more writer-composers may submit a maximum of three (3) song entries. Each entry must be an original composition. The song composition must be in accordance with the over-all theme which is Kalahi-CIDSS’ Community-Driven Development and Peacebuilding. All compositions which have been previously published, recorded or released shall not be accepted as eligible entry. The lyrics of the song must be in Filipino, Waray, Bisaya or a combination of these languages. Song entries could be based on any music genre or style (Pop, Rock, Ballad, R&B etc) with a duration of at least 3 minutes but not more than 4 minutes, inclusive of intro and extro.

Deadline of entries is on September 30, 2015. Official entry form could be downloaded though DSWD Field Office VIII’s website https://fo8.dswd.gov.ph. Entries must be sent to the Social Marketing Unit of DSWD Field Office VIII, Magsaysay Blvd., Tacloban City, 6500.

All song entries will be initially screened to obtain the Top Eight (8) finalists for the Grand Finals Night dubbed as Kamurayaw Music Festival. The screening criteria are as follows: Musicality 30%, Lyrics and Messaging 30%, Originality 30% and Song Impact 10%. Grand Finals Night will be conducted on October 2015 in Calbayog City. Grand Champion shall receive Php 15, 000.00, while the second and third place will get 10, 000.00 and 7, 000.00 respectively.

Kalahi-CIDSS is a poverty alleviation program of the national government which uses the Community-Driven Development approach. CDD puts the power back in the hands of people by giving them the opportunity to manage resources and make informed decisions on locally identified options for development.

PAMANA is a government program for peace and development implemented by the DSWD through Kalahi-CIDSS. For more inquiries please contact us at 09158855529.