Jonathan Manalo

Jonathan Suarez Manalo (born November 26, 1978) is a Filipino songwriter and record producer. He is currently the creative director of ABS-CBN Music, having composed numerous compositions for ABS-CBN programs. His compositions for various artists have earned him 75 multi-platinum and 100 gold certifications At age 13, he finished his first full composition entitled Aming Panginoon (Our Lord). This song was chosen as one of the ten finalists in a songfest and was included in the compilation album Ikapitong Salmo (The Seventh Psalm). He was also mentored by Jungee Marcelo, a gospel songwriter who competed in songwriting festivals. Mainstream breakthrough Manalo made his first significant break in the Philippine music industry with ABS-CBN’s Himig Handog sa Makabagong Kabataan contest, which was open to amateurs and professionals alike. He won the grand prize with the winning composition, “Tara Tena”, a song that centered around inspiring the youth to do more for their country, and was interpreted by Kyla, Kaya, and V3. Dubbed then as the “anthem of the youth” by the Filipino politician Loren Legarda, it was used as a theme song for an eponymous TV series that catered to a younger aud