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Filipino songwriter and producer Jonathan Manalo<\/a> has reached another milestone in a career that seems to keep rewriting itself. The longtime ABS-CBN<\/a> creative, who has shaped Filipino pop for over two decades, is now a voting member of the Recording Academy, the organization behind the Grammy Awards<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cBecoming part of the Recording Academy 2025 New Member Class is an incredible honor,\u201d Manalo wrote on social media. \u201cIt means joining a global community of creators and professionals who are shaping the future of music and raising the standard of excellence worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n He joins nearly 3,600 new inductees, a diverse class where 49 percent are women, 56 percent are People of Color, and 60 percent are under 40. Among those also invited are Addison Rae<\/a>, Nikki Glaser, and global girl group KATSEYE<\/a>, led by Filipino talent Sophia Laforteza.<\/p>\n <\/center><\/p>\n This milestone comes on the heels of another: a full-fledged musical based on his hits titled Delia D<\/a><\/em>, staged last April in Manila. For an artist with over 300 songwriting credits across television, film, music, it feels almost impossible to map out the breadth of Manalo\u2019s impact. He has written for icons like Sarah Geronimo<\/a>, Angeline Quinto, and Bea Alonzo, while penning culture-shaking tracks like Orange & Lemons<\/a>\u2019 \u201cPinoy Ako\u201d during the rise of Pinoy Big Brother<\/em> and crafting bubblegum pop gems for BINI.\u00a0<\/p>\n Yet, to simply call him a \u201chitmaker\u201d undersells his role in shaping the Filipino soundscape. Manalo\u2019s strength lies in his adaptability. Whether it\u2019s television jingles, P-pop experiments, R&B deep cuts, or ballads that dominate karaoke playlists, he finds ways to reflect both the moment and the long arc of Filipino musical tradition.\u00a0<\/p>\n Below, we revisit five songs that not only showcase his range but also explain why Manalo has become one of the most decorated and streamed Filipino producers of his generation.<\/p>\n