Singing contest goes online

The hottest islandwide singing competition this year has gone high-tech, courtesy of major sponsor Pacific Telecom Inc.

The Saipan Grand Hotel Saipan Singing Superstar’s text voting can now be seen online through web address http://sss.pticom.com. The site is hosted by PTI.

Saipan Grand’s Oscar Yema said family members and friends as well as the contestants’ fans may now view the standings of their favorite Singing Superstars online.

“Through PTI’s web hosting technology, it is now possible for families and friends of each contestant to determine their Singing Superstars’ standing,” Yema said.

The results are posted in real time during contest dates. The public can follow the scores of the contestants at the exact time they send their text votes.

PTI management and personnel witnessed last Wednesday’s Adult competition where Raymund Legazpi, a National Office Supplies credit analyst, swept the text voting round after garnering 28,993 text votes.

PTI regional sales director Kathryn Barry said the success of the text voting was overwhelming. “It’s a first on the island,” she added.

Legazpi also won first place during the second preliminary competition. The text voting comprises 30 percent of the overall criteria for judging in this year’s Singing Superstar.

According to the judges, Legazpi’s lead in the text voting pulled up his overall scores, putting him on the top spot among the nine contestants that night.

Racing to the top spot was Pacific Islands Club’s Paul Dujua, who ranked second that night. Cristy Montilla, who garnered a couple of thousand text votes, managed to gain the third spot. Montilla is currently an accountant at the Triple J Five Star Wholesale firm.

The judges’ favorite, 17-year old Tikla Brown, took the fourth spot, while Melvin Mojica, this year’s GIG Pinoy Idol, went home with a special award—Urban Outlet’s Star of the Night.

Judges said the two scored higher than the winners but the text voting dragged their overall scores down.

Yema said only the top three winners would advance to the grand finals on Dec. 6.

Other contestants last Wednesday were Beverly De Leon, Ruel Liveta, Jaime Olivos, Richard Peredo, Delia Tolarba and Erma Tubera.

The Saipan Singing Superstar will be back again at the Club V next Wednesday.