Winners of Young Creatives Challenge named

Songwriting category winner Rocky Baliton —FACEBOOK

With the failures he has experienced as a musician, Rocky Baliton couldn’t help but wonder if he really has what it takes to succeed in his chosen field.

His recent victory in the songwriting category of the talent search Young Creatives Challenge (YC2), however, was an affirmation that he is where he needs and deserves to be.

“As a singer-songwriter, I sometimes ask myself if I really have the talent for this field. A number of times I failed, lost and my songs overlooked, but still, I continued to write and dream,” Rocky, who hails from Surigao City, wrote in a Facebook post.

Rocky’s composition, the bluesy ballad “Lambing,” bested nine other entries. “And here I am now. I proved to myself that I have something in me. Puwede pala! Kaya pala!” said the singer, who performed his winning piece at the YC2 grand finals and awarding ceremony last month.

“Nothing is impossible if you keep your dreams alive” added Rocky, who described himself as a “promdi who used to just dream.”

“Grabe talaga ‘pag si God ang gumalaw.”

‘Dynamic platform’

Mounted by the Department of Trade and Industries (DTI), YC2 is envisioned as a “dynamic platform” for young aspiring artists “seeking personal and professional advancement” in various fields and disciplines. The other winners and their respective categories are: John Peter Chua’s “Fishing the Moon Out of the Water” (screenwriting/short film); Breech Asher Harani’s “Bugkos: End of Childhood” by Breech Asher Harani (screenwriting/full-length film); Esmeralda Albis’ “Ang Pagbuo ng Baliana” (playwriting); AJRAVII’s “The Girl and the Tamaraw” (graphic novel); Meeproduction’s “Ang Kampanilya” (animation); YYM Danni’s “High Times” (game development); and Rose Ann Factolerin (online content creation).

The winners of the songwriting, playwriting, graphic novel, animation and game development received P1 million cash prize each. The two screenwriting winners took home P500,000 each, however, because the judges subsequently decided to divide the screenwriting category into short and full-length.

Harnessing Filipino creativity

The online content creation winner—who put out TikTok videos promoting YC2—took home P30,000. Runners-up and finalists, on the other hand, took home consolation cash prizes.

Aside from monetary perks, the winners will also receive assistance in registering their intellectual property and in promoting their winning pieces for production or commercial release.

YC2, which received 579 entries overall from around the country, was conceptualized as part of the DTI’s Malikhaing Pinoy Program. “It aims to harness Filipino creativity as a key driver of economic growth through the development of a robust and all-inclusive creative ecosystem in the country,” DTI undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba said in her speech during the event.

“Our goal is to make the Philippines Asia’s leading hub by 2030, attracting talent and investment from across the region,” she added.

Aldaba also hoped that, in the coming years, YC2 can stay true to its mission of “fostering collaborations, nurturing talents, igniting change in communities and amplifying young creatives’ voices.”

Project proponent Sen. Imee Marcos, meanwhile, encouraged young artists to “believe in their talent.” “In the face of many challenges and obstacles, you have indeed persisted, honed your skills, and unleashed your creativity in the most remarkable ways,” she said. INQ