Local musicians, songwriters, duos, trios, and bands from Boracay, Malay, and Aklan are invited to compete for up to ₱125,000 in cash and prizes — and the chance to have their song become the official sound of Boracay Central.
Boracay Central has officially opened submissions for The Place to Be Music Contest, a province-wide songwriting competition created to discover homegrown musical talent and give Aklan’s artists a national stage. Beyond the prize money, the winning entry will be adopted as the official jingle of Boracay Central, the island’s newest lifestyle and community destination at Station 0.
Key Dates at a Glance
| Milestone | Date |
| Official Announcement | August 26, 2026 |
| Submission Period | August 26 – October 30, 2026, 11:59 PM |
| Online Voting Period | November 1 – 25, 2026, 11:59 PM |
| Judging & Validation | November 30, 2026 |
| Announcement of Winners | December 1, 2026 |
| Prize Claim Period | December 1, 2026 – January 30, 2027 |
This promotion is being conducted under a Promotion Permit issued by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Who Can Join
The contest is open to solo composers, songwriting duos, trios, and full musical groups or bands, provided that at least one member can demonstrate verifiable roots in Boracay Island, Malay, or the Province of Aklan.
Eligibility can be established in any of the following ways:
- Residency — currently living in Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan, or elsewhere in the Province of Aklan for at least one (1) year immediately before submitting an entry
- Birthplace — born in Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan, or elsewhere in the Province of Aklan
- Parentage — at least one parent is a native or documented resident of the area
Proof of residency may be shown through a Barangay Certification indicating the participant’s name, address, and length of residency. Boracay Central reserves the right to request additional supporting documents to verify eligibility.
Age requirements:
- Participants must be at least 18 years old at the time of submission, or
- If under 18, participants must submit written consent from a parent or legal guardian along with their entry.
Only one (1) official entry will be accepted per participant, duo, trio, or group.
Who Cannot Join
To keep the competition fair, the following are not eligible to participate:
- Employees of Boracay Central
- Employees of Golden TW Realty and Development Corporation
- Employees of advertising, marketing, PR, and event agencies engaged for this contest
- Immediate family members and relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity of the individuals listed above
Entry Is 100% Free
No purchase, payment, or entry fee of any kind is required to join.
Two Ways to Create Your Sound
Participants can choose one of two composition paths:
Option A — Go Fully Original Create an entirely original composition: melody, arrangement, and instrumentation all your own. All musical elements must be original or lawfully owned by the participant; the use of copyrighted music, samples, or recordings without proper rights is not allowed.
Option B — Use the Official Instrumental Build your entry on top of the official Boracay Central contest instrumental track. Write an original melody and lyrics that fit the provided music. The instrumental can be downloaded here: Boracay Central Jingle – Official Instrumental Track
What Your Entry Must Include
- Original lyrics, written entirely by the participant
- Lyrics may be written and performed in English, Filipino/Tagalog, or a mix of both (Taglish)
- The song must naturally incorporate Akeanon and/or Malaynon words, phrases, or expressions
- The entry must include two to three of the following official keywords:
- Boracay Central
- The Place to Be
- Station 0
Entries must not infringe on any copyright, trademark, or intellectual property; contain offensive, defamatory, discriminatory, obscene, or unlawful content; have been commercially released before the contest; or have been previously submitted to another competition where rights were already transferred.
How to Submit
All entries must be submitted through the official Google Form: Submit Your Entry Here
Each submission must include:
A. Participant Information
- Full Name
- Contact Number
- Email Address
- Complete Address
B. Proof of Aklan Roots (any one of the following)
- Barangay Certification
- Government-issued ID showing address
- Birth Certificate
- Parent’s proof of residency
- Parent’s birth record
- Other supporting documents acceptable to Boracay Central and/or DTI
C. Audio File
- MP3 or WAV format only
D. Lyrics File
- PDF format only
Incomplete submissions may be disqualified, so double-check every requirement before hitting send.
Deadline: October 30, 2026 (Friday), 11:59 PM. Late entries will not be accepted, and the timestamp on the official submission system will be used to verify whether an entry was submitted on time.
How Winners Will Be Chosen
Every qualified entry goes through the same transparent, multi-step process:
- Initial Screening — All entries are checked for eligibility and completeness.
- Judging — Qualified entries are evaluated by the Official Panel of Judges.
- Public Voting — Finalists are featured on Boracay Central’s official social media channels starting November 1, 2026, with public online voting open through November 25, 2026.
- Vote Validation — After voting closes, all votes are frozen and validated. Boracay Central reserves the right to disqualify votes found to be fraudulent, purchased, duplicated, automated, or bot-generated.
- Final Tabulation — Judges’ scores and validated social media votes are consolidated on November 30, 2026, at 2:00 PM, at Boracay Central (Station 0, Boracay Highway, Barangay Yapak, Malay, Aklan), in the presence of an authorized DTI representative.
Judging Criteria
| Criteria | Weight |
| Creativity & Originality | 30% |
| Lyrics Integration | 20% |
| Musicality & Arrangement | 20% |
| Social Media Votes | 30% |
Creativity & Originality (30%) looks at how unique, fresh, and memorable the composition is, and how well it captures Boracay Central’s identity and brand personality.
Lyrics Integration (20%) measures how naturally the entry weaves in the required keywords, Akeanon/Malaynon elements, and overall theme.
Musicality & Arrangement (20%) evaluates melody, structure, rhythm, harmony, and overall musical appeal.
Social Media Votes (30%) is calculated proportionally — each finalist’s score reflects their actual share of total validated votes, calculated as:
Social Media Vote Score = (Validated Votes for the Entry ÷ Total Validated Votes of All Finalists) × 30%
Only validated votes count; fraudulent or bot-driven votes are excluded from the computation.
Meet the Judges
- Mr. Derek Liang — Board Member, Golden TW Realty and Development Corporation
- Mr. Kervin Tsai — Chief Finance Officer, Golden TW Realty and Development Corporation
- Mr. Hans Yu — General Manager, Boracay Central
- Mr. Mark Jabrica — Manager, Marketing and Promotions, Boracay Central
- Mr. Rap Canedo — of The Ryan Cayabyab Singers, serving as an independent music industry representative
Together, the panel brings a mix of brand insight, business perspective, and professional musical expertise to the evaluation process.
The Prizes
Grand Prize
- ₱100,000 Cash
- Professional Recording and Production Package worth ₱25,000
- Official recognition as the Boracay Central Jingle
- Exclusive rights acquired by Boracay Central
First Runner-Up
- ₱50,000 Cash
Second Runner-Up
- ₱25,000 Cash
Cash prizes are non-transferable. Non-cash prizes are non-transferable and non-convertible to cash, unless otherwise approved by Boracay Central or required by law. Each participant may only win one prize.
Cash prizes exceeding ₱10,000 are subject to the applicable 20% Final Withholding Tax under Philippine tax regulations. The net amount released to winners will reflect this and any other legally required deductions.
Winner Announcement & Prize Claiming
Winners will be announced on December 1, 2026, during an Awarding Ceremony at Boracay Central, and simultaneously published on Boracay Central’s official social media channels. Winners will also be notified directly via email, phone, direct message, or other contact details provided during submission.
Prizes can be claimed in two ways:
In Person At the Boracay Central Back-of-House (BOH) Office, Station 0, Boracay Highway, Barangay Yapak, Malay, Aklan — with a valid government-issued ID and any other documents required for verification.
Online / Bank Transfer For winners unable to claim in person, Boracay Central can facilitate release via bank transfer or another approved digital channel, upon submission of a valid ID, signed Prize Acceptance and Acknowledgment Receipt, bank details under the winner’s name, and any other documents needed for validation and tax compliance.
All prizes must be claimed within 60 days of the announcement — by January 30, 2027. Unclaimed prizes after this period will be handled according to applicable DTI rules.
What Happens to Your Song
If you’re the Grand Prize Winner, accepting the prize means agreeing to transfer full, exclusive, worldwide, and permanent rights of your composition, lyrics and melody, to Boracay Central, for use across any media or platform. No further royalties or compensation apply beyond the awarded prize, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
If you don’t win the Grand Prize, you keep full ownership of your lyrics and original melody. By entering, you simply give Boracay Central permission to feature, repost, and promote your entry for contest-related marketing purposes.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
- Participation in the contest means full acceptance of these official mechanics.
- Boracay Central may verify the identity, eligibility, and supporting documents of any participant at any stage.
- Entries that don’t follow the approved mechanics, eligibility rules, or submission requirements may be disqualified.
- Boracay Central is not responsible for entries that are incomplete, corrupted, inaccessible, late, or unsuccessfully uploaded due to technical issues beyond its control.
- Any changes to the contest will only be made in accordance with DTI rules and, where required, with DTI’s knowledge and approval.
Ready to Join?
This isn’t just a songwriting contest, it’s a chance for musicians from Boracay, Malay, and Aklan to put their voice on one of the island’s newest landmarks, for good.
Submission Period: August 26 – October 30, 2026
Get the Instrumental (Option A): tinyurl.com/bc-jingle-track
Submit Your Entry: forms.gle/TvahK8vT9Qor8KHEA
Entry Fee: FREE
Your sound. Your story. Your Boracay Central.
This promotion is held under DTI Fair Trade Permit No. R6-AKL 100082 Series of 2026, Series of 2026. Full mechanics available upon request at Boracay Central’s official channels.