A new generation of Filipino songwriters is preparing to enter the music industry as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) strengthens its support for emerging creatives through a partnership with MINT College.
Launched in September 2025, the initiative supports the top three winners of the Young Creatives Challenge Season 2 (YC2), a flagship program under the government’s Malikhaing Pinoy campaign. The partnership provides full-cycle development, including song and music video production, alongside strategic promotion leading up to their official debut this month.
The program brings together talents from across the country, highlighting the geographic and cultural diversity shaping the Filipino creative landscape. The selected artists represent Cebu, Zamboanga City, and the Dinagat Islands.
Cebu-based singer-songwriter Kervin Kane Estrera, professionally known as Kervin Kane, emerged as the competition’s top winner with his song “Gitna ng Kalawakan.” Initially written about long-distance relationships, the track evolved into a more personal narrative centered on rediscovering purpose after stepping away from music.
“When you feel like giving up, you have to go back to your ‘why’… what’s important is getting back up and continuing the journey,” he said.
From Zamboanga City, Al-rass Amarillo, who performs under the name Pluma, was recognized for “Pahinga,” a song written during a challenging period in his life for his wife and family. The piece emphasizes finding comfort and emotional refuge in loved ones amid exhaustion and struggle.
“Sa mundong nakakapagod, may someone na magsisilbing ‘pahinga’ natin,” he said, noting that the competition reinforced his belief in merit-based recognition in the creative sector, where “race and religion don’t matter—pure skills ang jina-judge.”
Representing the Dinagat Islands, songwriters Ferjun Cano and Rhode Audi Acabal were cited for their collaboration on “Salig Lang Ta,” performed by Jupiter Bacuado, also known as Jupiter of Isla Dinagat Creators. Written in December 2020 during the pandemic, the song later took on deeper meaning following the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Odette, emerging as a message of resilience and faith.
Cano penned the lyrics, while Acabal handled the melody and production, resulting in a work shaped by collective endurance during times of crisis.
Overseeing the program’s industry rollout is Lachmi Baviera, Business Management Program Head at MINT College, who is coordinating production, music video development, digital distribution, and promotional strategies for the artists’ upcoming debut.
Baviera described the participants as exceptional in both talent and emotional depth, noting the distinct sincerity in how they translate personal experiences into music.
“You have these songwriters coming in from all over the country, bringing such diverse styles, but they all share this incredible sincerity in how they capture emotion,” she said. “There’s something so uniquely Filipino about that—the way they can take their personal struggles and channel them into such beautiful, melodic storytelling.”
