MANILA - The Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM) makes a big paradigm shift this year by celebrating its annual Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino (LMP) on digital platforms.

Highlighting talents from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the fifth year of LMP aims to promote Filipino music with the support of OPM and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

To be held on August 23 to 28, LMP 2020 will be the very first digital music festival in the country, offering a universe of music talents catering to diverse markets.

“Magandang natuloy pa rin despite the pandemic,” singer Noel Cabangon told ABS-CBN News on Wednesday.

“Siempre we have to adapt and with the new platform, we will still manage to celebrate our music. Bigger and wider in scope because of the support of many regional artists! That’s also what we want -- the inclusion of regional music written in their dialect!”

The music fest used to be celebrated in public venues with talents performing in music halls, bars, parks and even at the Light Railway Transit station ramps in Metro Manila last year.

This year, online performances will feature established and up and coming artists such as Blind Stereo Moon, Hans Dimayuga, Eugene Layug, Zion Aquino, Miss Ramonne, Giacoustic, Noah Zuniga, Pepper Alley, Andre Agas, Michael Rodriguez, Cookie Chua, Bayang Barrios at Naliyagan, Lara Maigue, Clara Benin, Aikee, This Band, Christian Bautista and many other artists.

Aside from the Ilocano unity song “Panewenen,” Cabangon will also perform his recent recordings “Pipiliin Pang Maghintay,” and Moira de la Torre’s “Malaya” at the LMP 2020.

The LMP will also conduct #UsapangMusikahan workshops and webinars with leading stalwarts in the music industry such as Ryan Cayabyab, Ebe Dancel and Jazz Nicolas.

It will also conduct OPM at Teatro, a special webinar from PETA about OPM and Filipino musicals.

PETA creators Myke Salomon, Maribel Legarda and Jeff Hernandez will share the process of creating original and jukebox musicals, according to PETA spokesperson Leloi Arcete.

The festival will also launch the OPM Archive.

Viewers are encouraged to support Filipino artists by way of donations through OPM and LMP.

It has been a struggle for many displaced musicians for the past six months but the online shift of the LMP this year proves that not even the pandemic can kill the spirit of the Filipino music artist.

“Mas meaningful ang celebration ngayon because of the solidarity of artists. Plus music is always a good mechanism in coping with any situation," said Cabangon.