Maasin kid wins national “Batang May Ibubuga Barangay Singing Idol 2009” search

By R.G. CADAVOS (PIA Southern Leyte)
May 27, 2009

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte  –  An eleven-year old kid fresh from Maasin City won the national search for “Batang May Ibubuga Barangay Singing Idol 2009” aired at Eat Bulaga, Saturday, May 23.

Regine Roa from Barangay Badiang, this city competed two other finalists, one each from Mindanao and Luzon areas. Her winning piece “And I Am Telling You”, made famous by Jennifer Hudson in the musical movie Dreamgirls drew the audience because of her good, stunning voice.

Regine, who will be a sixth grader this school year enrolled at Saint Joseph College here started singing during her prep years and had already participated in different singing competitions nationwide, according to her grandmother Lina Roa, a utility worker of the Maasin City hall.

The elder Roa said that her “apo” auditioned at Cebu City for the “Batang May Ibubuga Barangay Singing Idol Search 2009” sponsored by Solmux, where three of them coming from the different parts of Visayas competed for the semifinals. And fortunately, Regine emerged as the winner to represent the whole Visayas Region and vied two other contestants from Luzon and Mindanao last Saturday, at the noontime show Eat Bulaga.

Regine brought P200,000 as cash prize, a Laptop and some consolation prizes, her grandmother reported. She is expected to be home on Friday together with her father, Romeo Roa Jr., a School Principal of Badiang Elementary School.  Her mother Delia is also a teacher by profession, she added.