MANILA – Twenty eight Filipino performing artists are all set for the 13th World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA), which will be held at the Westin Bonaventure  in Los Angeles, California from July 11 to 18.

Filipinos living in the Philippines, United States and Canada will comprise the country’s delegation at the WCOPA, the only official “Talent Olympics” for aspiring performing artists.

This year’s Philippine delegation will be led by Philippine National Director Carlo Orosa, Philippine Associate Director Oliver Oliveros, and KB Entertainment’s Kitchie Benedicto.
 
Singers vying for the “Grand Champion Vocalist of the World” title this year are Martha Joy (Viva recording artist and “Canadian Idol” finalist); Evette Pabalan, (“Sexbomb” dancer and television actress); Mayumi Morales (sister of young singer actor Makisig, and a protégé of Isay Alvarez and Tricia Jimenez’s Spotlight Artists Centre);

Rhap Salazar, (ABS CBN “Little Big Star” Brightest Star); Divo Bayer, (a recording artist based in Los Angeles, California); Keane Andeza and Oreo Vamenta, new recording artists; and Maila Mitra, Nicole Espolong, Melchi Bicua, CJ Concepcion and Mia Sinaguinan, up-and-coming young performers. 
 
Solo vocalists Guy Lockwood and Izarzuri Vidal, and group vocalists Kulay Pikata and Young Voices of the Philippines Quartet are also part of the Philippine team.
 
Bryann Foronda, 2009 Department of Education (DepEd) Mr. Philippines Youth, is the country’s sole entry at WCOPA’s modeling competitions this year.  He will be competing in the photo and spokesmodeling events.
 
WCOPA is an annual international meet held in Hollywood in which selected countries are represented by their respective excellent aspiring performers and entertainers. At least 40 countries are expected to participate in this year's contest.

The competitions include dance, vocal, modeling, acting, instrumentalists, and variety arts. In this Olympic-style competition, gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded plus $50,000 in scholarships to the Conservatory for Film and Television in New York. 

Since the Philippines joined the WCOPA in 2005, five Filipino performing artists have already won the global competition’s top prizes.

They were Jed Madela (2005 Grand Champion Vocalist of the World and Grand Champion Performer of the World); Cercado Sisters (2006 Grand Champion Group Vocalists of the World); Reymond Sajor (2007 Grand Champion Vocalist of the World); Aria Clemente (2007 Grand Champion Vocalist of the World and Grand Champion Performer of the World); and Catherine Loria (2008 Grand Champion Vocalist of the World and Grand Champion Performer of the World).