Lea Salonga, Apl.de.ap and More Start THE VOICE PH Blind Auditions, 4/15

THE VOICE OF THE PHILIPPINES coaches Lea Salonga, Bamboo Manalac, Sarah Geronimo, and Apl. de. ap (Photo credit: ABS-CBN)

Manila, Philippines, April 14, 2013 -- Formally introduced to the public via a press conference held at Philippine TV network ABS-CBN on Friday, "The Voice of the Philippines" coaches Lea Salonga, Apl. de. ap of Black Eyed Peas, Bamboo Mañalac, and Sarah Geronimo -- all four have carved out solid music careers and have huge fan bases in the Philippines -- will get to turn their own swivel chairs when the Philippine franchise of the hit reality singing competition "The Voice" starts taping its first set of blind auditions at a sound stage in Bulacan tomorrow, April 15.

A very straightforward person, Salonga, who has endeared herself to Broadway insiders and fans since she won the coveted Tony Award in 1991, jokes around with the media, "I'm already calling myself a bitch in a red chair."

She continues, "But no, no, I don't think that bitchiness is necessarily the best approach either. I guess it really depends on what each team member needs."

Structured with four various competition stages: (1) producers' auditions, (2) blind auditions, (3) battle and knockout rounds, and (4) live shows, "The Voice," which was created by Dutch television producer John de Mol, stands unique from other singing competitions such as "American Idol" and "X Factor" because of the former's round of blind auditions, where the coaches get to choose their team members based solely on the contestants' singing talents.

"The Voice of the Philippines" will be hosted by ABS CBN talents Toni Gonzaga and Robi Domingo as its social media correspondent.

In between the tapings for "The Voice of the Philippines" and its live show premiere in June to be broadcast from Newport Performing Arts Theater at Resorts World Manila, Salonga is set to travel to New York City to headline the developmental lab of the 2012 Craig Noel Awards' Outstanding New Musical, Broadway-bound production of "Allegiance," a musical drama inspired by the Japanese American internment during World War II, from April 27 to May 17; and to star in her third solo engagement at the famed Café Carlyle from May 21 to June 8.

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