“You have the power to stand up for and give back to the art which has been a source of life for all of us,” Buendia noted. “You have the power to set an example and for once do the right thing, and become a beacon of hope in these dark times ruled by greed, hate and lies.”
“Yes there are even more pressing matters out there, but in the end this will not just be about a song, a contract, a million pesos, or credit,” he added. Without specifically naming anyone, Buendia asked those behind the contest: “On which side of history do you want to be on? Search your hearts for the truth and it will set you free.”For winning “The Pop Stage,” Villavicencio is entitled to P1 million in cash and a one-year contract with Viva Artists Agency. He performed a medley of Eraserheads songs for the grand finals.
The panel of judges included Matteo Guidicelli, Lani Misalucha, Jed Madela, Ritz Beltran and a representative from fastfood chain Popeyes, which sponsored the talent contest.Villavicencio’s performance earned wide criticism online, including those from Buendia and Myke Salomon, who arranged “Pare Ko” for the “Ang Huling El Bimbo” musical.” the musical arrangements of the musical without permission, pointing out that among the criteria for judging in the said contest was originality.