RYAN CAYABYAB 'plays' it forward

After more than 30 years in the music business, creating hit song after hit song and grooming fledgling singers into superstars on stage, Ryan Cayabyab is still at the top of his game.

Not only does he have two songs that are gaining momemtum at the radio charts (" Paano Na Kaya," sung by Bugoy Drilon and "Manalig Ka" by Laarni Lozada of Pinoy Dream Academy) and a successful music school ( The Music School of Ryan Cayabyab at Robinsons Galleria), he's the only Filipino invited to speak at the International Conference of the World Intellectual Property Rights Organization in Bali in Dec. 2 and 3. He was asked to give a speech on "Intellectual Property as an incentive to promote creative cultural expressions."

At 54,Ryan Cayabyab, indeed, shows no signs of slowing down."I'm very happy because even when I'm already 54. I can still write music that can compete with other commercial songs," he says with a laugh.

As a matter of fact, the music man, who has performed before kings, presidents and other heads of state, is now on a 12 city US tour with his singing group, The Ryan Cayabyab Singers, doing an all-Filipino repertoire, most of which are Mr. C's most popular works, for the benefit of Gawad Kalinga.