IN 1998, Dr. Ronnie E. Molina, a dentist, converted a small room in his apartment in Al-Khobar into a music room to train young children in singing. Among them was also his young daughter Kimverlie. The training program, mostly in pop music, eventually became very popular within the Filipino community. Many parents felt that Molina's musical project was a good avenue to enhance the personality of their children. They started sending their children – studying in elementary to high school – to learn the art of singing under Molina's tutelage. The number of children attending the singing sessions, conducted during weekends, increased, forcing Molina to relocate the venue from his flat to a Filipino school. “In 2004, after six years of sacrifices, spending my own resources and time, and constant encouragement from parents and community leaders, I formally organized the project into what is now the Filipino Pop Music Club (Filpop),” Molina said. The Filpop is now governed by the Filpop Music Club Executive Committee, headed by Molina as the founder and executive director. The job of overseeing the club, however, is performed by a group of officers and advisers. The club inducted last week its officers and advisers for 2009. This new committee is headed by Jun Z. Eledia as deputy executive officer. Other officers are: Jaypee M. Vega, secretary; Mae V. Salvador, assistant secretary; Carol C. Vencer, treasurer; Thess B. Tunac, assistant treasurer; James C. Cipriano, auditor; Thess L. Cipriano, assistant auditor; Pabs E. Balbarosa, PRO; Annie C. Mendiola, assistant PRO; Ronald Conde, project director; Liyo C. Cefre, assistant project director; Ted Lor, finance director; Benny E. Celestino, marketing director; Demifred Tunac, technical director; Grace C. Sitchon, assistant finance director; Gener Kampitan, assistant technical director; and Nilo Bejasa, assistant marketing director. Bong F. Buella, Joselito L. Cadiz, John Mendiola, Ronnie Sitchon, Eyek Ellamil, Carlo Gonzales, and Boyet Indefenso are the Filpop council of advisers. The new officers and advisers were inducted into office by Philippine labor attaché David Des T. Dicang, who lauded Filpop's contribution to the Filipino community in the Eastern Province. Molina said among the people who convinced him to officially launch the club were Fred Abrenica, whose daughter, Jasmine Mae, became the overall champion of The Filipino Channel (TFC) Pop Star singing contest in Saudi Arabia in 2006, and Philippine labor attaché Manuel C.Roldan. Molina's daughter, Kimverlie, won the overall grand championship of the ABS-CBN TFC Pop Star Middle East Singing Competition held in Dubai in 2006. Graduates of the Filpop, most of them now in college, have been successful in their singing career. Recently, Janette Ricasio, a former student of Filpop, together with Jasmine Mae and Kimverlie, won a national singing competition in Canada where her family migrated. Kimverlie, who is now enrolled in a music school in Manila, will participate in the 13th Annual World Championships of Performing Arts, set to take place on July 11-19 in Los Angeles, California. The international meet is often cited as the official “World Talent Championships” for aspiring performers and entertainers. The Filpop, which has trained about 300 Filipino children, has been transformed into an active group of about 80 Filipino families in the Eastern Province, working together to support the club started by Molina. The club now has its own small studio at the Al-Andalus International School in Al-Khobar, where school children are trained in the art of singing and stage performance. Assisting Molina is training director, Jaypee M. Vega, an accomplished singer himself. The club also supports Filipinos who are in need of assistance. The latest recipient of the Filpop's support was Bong Araya, who successfully underwent a kidney transplant in Manila.
