Filipino artistic expression + Christian faith + KBP requirement + musically-gifted individuals = PAPURI!

The 1970’s marked the period of westernization of Philippine music and Christianity with the proliferation of international singing groups, English hymns and Gospel songs. 

To curb the looming foreign takeover of the Philippine music scene, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) issued a directive to all radio networks to air Original Pilipino music beginning in 1977.  Far East Broadcasting Company initially complied with the KBP ruling by playing Filipino adaptations of Gospel songs. But because of the scarcity of materials, it was quickly axed. Evidently, something more Filipino was needed.

Enter FEBC’s Hymnody Project in 1978. With American missionary Dr. Gordon England at the helm, it began developing music that was truly Christian and uniquely Filipino. Together with 15 young men and women involved in the music ministry, Dr. England started the first all-Filipino original Christian music project. Sixteen songs were selected. Some were already known and widely used in churches while some were freshly written.

While meditating on the first chapter of Ephesians, Mr. Efren Pallorina, then 702 DZAS station manager, was able to coin the name PAPURI!, the Tagalog word for praise, for the project. He also developed the concept of three C’s of putting the project together as a bundle—producing a cassette album, publishing a chordbook and mounting a live concert.

The first PAPURI! concert was held at the jampacked Philamlife Theater on UN Avenue, Manila on October 26, 1979. From then on, PAPURI! was positioned as FEBC’s music arm and a handmaid of the Church on the air and in public. 

Over the years, the original three Cs of PAPURI!—cassette, chordbook, concert—have  expanded to include another C, church promotions, whose purpose is to introduce and encourage the use of original Pilipino music in their worship, fellowship and evangelism programs.
 


Contact Us
Dan Andrew Cura
Executive Director

Larrie Ilagan
Project Coordinator
62 Karuhatan Road, 1441 Valenzuela City FEBC Compound

 Phone:(632) 292-1152 local 119

Email:  papuri@febc.org.ph
 

  • Did you know that PAPURI! used to mass-produce its own cassette albums? This was before Praise Incorporated came into the picture. The duplicating process for PAPURI! 1 involved setting up 10 individual TEAC A450 cassette recorders at the basement of the FEBC Traffic Library.  PAPURI! Technician and Sound Engineer Roger Padrinao stayed up all night to dub enough copies to sell on the day of the concert.
     

  • PAPURI! takes pride in its very unique song writing process. So unique that a term was even coined for it—“barilan.” “Barilan,” the creative and collaborative song writing process, can be credited for helping many PAPURI! composers come up with their musical masterpieces. During song writing, the composers throw in their ideas and contribute a line to the song (in a dugtungan fashion) for others to critique openly. The process can be quite intimidating but the results are definitely rewarding.
     

  • Did you know that PAPURI! 3, which was launched in 1981 at the Folk Arts Theater, holds the record for having the biggest PAPURI! concert cast? It involved three (3) choirs of sixteen singers each, one (1) ensemble, seven (7) soloists, duets and trios and a 15-man orchestra.
     

  • Cathy Amaca was the first PAPURI! artist to record a song sitting down. This was for the song “Kung” (Papuri!14). She sat down during the recording as she was due to give birth anytime then. In fact, just a few days after the final take ay nanganak na sya. At kung gaano kataas ang high Ab note niya sa recording ay ganun din kalakas ang pag-iyak ng pangalawang anak nila ni Rene na ipinanganak noong September 4, 1993.
     

Far East Broadcasting Company  Philippines 2007-30