13-year-old YouTube sensation wins ‘Pilipinas Got Talent’ Season 4

PGT4 winner Roel Manlangit

MANILA, Philippines—For the fourth straight season, ABS-CBN’s reality talent search “Pilipinas Got Talent” crowned a singer as its grand winner.

Following Jovit Baldivino, Marcelito Pomoy and the Maasinhon Trio was 13-year-old belter and YouTube sensation Roel Manlangit, who bested five other finalists during the show’s results night at the Pagcor Grand Theater in Parañaque City on Sunday.

“I’m very happy because I won. I want to thank God, my family and those who supported me,” Roel told reporters in Filipino.

The young singer from Valencia City, Bukidnon, shot to Internet fame last year after a video of him singing Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” outside a local appliance store went viral. The said video currently has over 2 million views on YouTube.

With his powerful rendition of Bamboo’s “Noypi” during the performance night last Saturday, Roel garnered 30.22 percent of the nationwide votes, and received a check worth P2 million.

“We’ll use the money to build a new house,” shared Roel, who lost his home to floods caused by Typhoon Pablo last December.

Taking home P100,000 each were 1st runner-up ring dancer Frankendel Fabroa and 2nd runner-up MP3 Band, who got 26.07 and 17.48 percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, the three other finalists who got the lowest number of votes bagged P50,000. They were dance groups Zilent Overload (11.91 percent) and D’Intensity Breakers (11.87 percent), and car drifting duo Lateral Drift Productions (2.44 percent).

Hosted by Luis Manzano and Billy Crawford, the show’s judging panel was composed of Kris Aquino, Freddie Garcia and Ai-Ai de las Alas.