MusikJuana Songwriting Contest





The MusikJuana Songwriting Contest aims to make music as an advocacy tool for gender equality and women’s empowerment.  The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) will search for a musical piece that will help popularize the contents of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA), particularly its 12 areas of concern which are: poverty, education and training, health, violence, armed conflict, economy, power and decision-making, institutional mechanisms, human rights, media, environment, and the girl child. The deadline of the submission of entries will be on June 30, 2021. Winners will be announced and awarded in September 2021, to coincide with the anniversary of the BPfA.


Mechanics, Terms and Conditions


1. Qualifications of Composers

        1.1.   The contest is open to all composers and songwriters (amateur or professional) who are Filipino citizens or of Filipino descent, and currently reside in the Philippines. A participant may be an individual or a group of musicians in collaboration.

        1.2.   Officials and employees of PCW (including those hired under human resource outsourcing companies and individual contracts of services) and their relatives up to the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity are not qualified to join the competition.


2.  Song Entry Requirements

        2.1.   Each entry must be an original work of the contestant and all rights, including copyright, to the entry must be owned exclusively by the contestant.

        2.2.   The following works shall not be eligible as entries:

                  2.2.1.  Those which have been previously published, recorded or released in any part of the world;
                  2.2.2.  Those which have been commissioned by a third party;
                  2.2.3.  Those which are found to contain two (2) or more bars of melody or lyrics similar to that of a copyrighted, published, or released song in the Philippines or abroad; and
                  2.2.4.  Any entry which, in the sole discretion of PCW, is not suitable for its advocacy by reason of content.

        2.3.  The song must contain the principles, commitments, and important provisions of the BPfA, a landmark document for advancing the rights of women and gender equality worldwide agreed upon during the 4th World Conference on women in 1995. As such, the 12 areas of concern identified in the document must be integrated into the song, in such a manner that its contents will be easily understood by the listening public.

        2.4.   The lyrics must be in Filipino.

        2.5.  The melody and lyrics of an entry, once submitted, shall be final and may not be altered or modified prior to the pre-and final screening.

        2.6.  The entry must be upbeat, and appropriate for a jingle.

        2.7.  The participant can use any musical instrument as accompaniment.

        2.8.  The song’s running time shall be 3 to 5 minutes, inclusive of the intro and extro.

        2.9.   A contestant may submit a maximum of two (2) entries, whether the same be as an individual, a collaboration, or both.

        2.10. PCW, at its sole discretion, may disqualify an entry that fails to comply with any of the above requirements.

3.  Submission of entries

        3.1.  The participant must submit the following per entry: a. Accomplished Google form with complete personal data as required; b. Lyrics of the musical composition; c. Mp3 file of the musical composition; and d. Signed waiver.

       3.2.  The deadline for the submission of entries is on June 30, 2021, at 5:00 PM Philippine Standard Time.

       3.3.   Failure to comply with any of the above requirements shall be a ground for disqualification.


4.   Intellectual Property Rights

        4.1.   All entries are deemed to be the property of the respective participants, subject to the rights of PCW hereunder.

        4.2.   If an entry is selected as a finalist, PCW shall have all rights, title, interest, and copyright to said composition.

        4.3.  The contestant agrees that in the event that his/her/their entry is selected as finalist, PCW shall have the exclusive and unlimited right, worldwide and in perpetuity, to the musical composition (music and lyrics), with the full right and authority to use the musical composition in any audiovisual work that may be deemed necessary and appropriate by PCW; use in a public performance; To eliminate or edit material which may subject PCW to any legal action; To authorize the adaptation or translation of the work; and to use the same for any purpose, in any manner and by any means, at PCW’s sole discretion.

        4.4.  PCW shall have the right to use any or all of the entries submitted, free of charge, in connection with the information dissemination on the competition and to use any of the finalists’ entries for any purpose or usage on any of its activities, without need for any remuneration to the contestant by PCW.


5.   Screening

        5.1.   PCW shall form a Pre-screening Committee composed of PCW specialists, Gender and Development (GAD) experts and musicians/composers who shall check and verify all entries and declare eight (8) finalists for final screening.

        5.2.   A Final Screening Committee composed of judges from PCW, GAD experts, and the music industry, will choose the winners based on the following criteria:
                 5.2.1.   Lyrics (35%) The lyrics shall be relevant to BPfA, have an identifiable rhyme scheme or pattern, and easy to recall.
                 5.2.2.   Song structure and composition (15%) The entry must have a clear theme or cohesive idea, clearly identifiable sections (like verse, chorus, etc.), and must be between 3 to 5 minutes.
                 5.2.3.   Music and melody (30%) The entry must be upbeat and engaging; The music and melody must complement the lyrics; This will also include the entry’s melodic structure, chordal progression, and other technical aspects.
                 5.2.4.   Originality (20%) The entry is new to the ears and must have recall value and appeal.

       5.3.   The decision of the judges shall be final and unappealable.

       5.4.  PCW shall have the sole discretion and right to choose/assign the interpreter, producer, and arranger in case there will be a need to repeat the recording for the purpose of distribution to stakeholders.


6. Finalists and Prizes

       6.1.   Eight participants will move to the final screening. Prizes for the grand winners are as follows:
                1st Prize    – PhP100,000
                2nd Prize  – PhP80,000
                3rd Prize   – PhP60,000
                People’s Choice award-     PhP10,000
                Consolation Prize  – PhP10,000

        6.2.  Prizes are subject to mandatory withholding taxes.


7.   Disqualification

       7.1.  An entry of a participant may be disqualified for:

                7.1.1.   Failure to comply with any of the requirements, or a violation of any of these terms and conditions, or breach of the warranties provided herein;
                7.1.2.   In collaborations, all members and Entry/ies may be disqualified even if only one (1) of the individual composers, songwriters, or lyricists has been disqualified or has committed a violation warranting disqualification;
                7.1.3.   PCW shall have the sole discretion to disqualify an entry or a contestant.


8.   Announcement of Winners

     Finalists and winners shall be notified by PCW through the contact information that they provided during the submission of entries. PCW will organize an event where finalists and winners shall be recognized in September 2021, in time for the Anniversary of the BPfA.

For inquiries, please contact Nevi Calma at 8735-8509 or 0927-392-0375 or email womensmonth@pcw.gov.ph or media@pcw.gov.ph.



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