Before their FMA wins, both songs grew through ideas the members helped bring to life.
VVINK did not immediately know what to make of a proposal to bring budots into their music. Alamat’s Mo, meanwhile, had a chorus he liked but had struggled to turn into a complete song.
Both ideas eventually reached listeners. At the Filipino Music Awards 2026, “Baduy” by VVINK, DJ Love and Pio Balbuena won Pop Song of the Year. Alamat’s “Sinigang” shared R&B Song of the Year with Denise Julia’s “LOVE AGAIN.”
Our FMA roundup covers the recognition. The stories behind these songs reveal more about the members’ involvement in making them.
VVINK Takes a Chance on “Baduy”
Angelika remembered wondering whether their producer, Jumbo “Bojam” De Belen, was joking when he pitched the concept. Mariel explained their hesitation in an Amber Studios interview account. Budots was an unusual direction for a P-pop group.
For VVINK, whose first two singles were “Tulala” and “Tatlong Hiling,” it meant trying something different early in their career. Released on November 14, 2025, “Baduy” brought budots into their bubblegum pop sound.
The members found a connection to the song through its outlook. The word baduy can make someone feel embarrassed about their clothes, taste or way of enjoying themselves. Jean questioned that judgment. In the Amber Studios account, she explained that having fun without hurting anyone should not be considered baduy.
That thought gives the title its warmth. There is something familiar about liking a song or dance, then holding back because someone else might find it corny. “Baduy” makes room for enjoying it anyway.
VVINK also had a hand in the recording. Angelika Samantha Ortiz appears among the composers in credits published by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry. FlipMusic identifies Jean’s contribution as budots vocals.
Their collaborators helped bring that direction together. DJ Love, a Davao City producer and budots pioneer, produced the track alongside Bojam and Mat Olavides, while Pio Balbuena contributed to the song as a featured artist and writer. DJ Love’s involvement keeps the sound’s Davao and Bisaya roots connected to the release.
What began as a surprising suggestion became a song VVINK could make their own through their contributions and the attitude they brought to it. Jean’s explanation is also its simplest invitation. If you are enjoying yourself and hurting no one, why be ashamed?
Alamat Helps Mo Finish “Sinigang”
Mo’s difficulty with “Sinigang” came from how much he liked its beginning.
In Billboard Philippines’ track-by-track interview for DESTINO, he recalled starting the chorus two years earlier. He was afraid to change or add anything, leaving him unsure how to continue.
Working with his bandmates helped. Taneo added a verse, Tomás contributed the pre-chorus, and Alas took on production. Mo said that choosing Alas to produce made the song easier to develop.
The title carries a meaning beyond the familiar dish. Taneo explained that “Sinigang” comes from “sinisigaw hanggang ngayon,” roughly meaning “still crying out to this day.” In Alamat’s account of making the song, Alas described drawing from Filipino sad love songs to shape its melancholy mood.
Alas followed that emotion in the production. He drew from the lyrics and Filipino sad love songs, shaping the chord progressions and bridge to suit the melancholy mood.
The group’s account makes it possible to follow the song from Mo’s chorus through the parts his bandmates added. Each contribution helped him continue something he had been hesitant to touch.
By the time “Sinigang” reached listeners, the chorus was part of a finished recording. Its award now sits alongside a quieter achievement for the group. They had found a way to complete it together.
