MANILA, Philippines?Ogie Alcasid gave his friend Judy Ann Santos a unique birthday gift?the theme song of her new movie, ?Ploning.?

He allowed the producers to use his old song, ?Ikaw ang Pag-Ibig,? free of charge.

?I would have written a new one,? Ogie says, ?but we were pressed for time. I looked through my files and found the song, from Sharon Cuneta?s ?Sharon Sings Alcasid? CD.?

Earlier, Ogie wrote music for the animated feature, ?Urduja,? which opens next month.

Soundtrack

?Our record label, Indimusic, will release the soundtrack this month,? he says. The lyrics are by Joey de Leon. Apart from the main theme, ?Babae Ako,? sung by girlfriend Regine Velasquez (who voiced for the Urduja character), Ogie wrote three other songs, one of them for Jay Manalo?s character, Simakwel.

Ogie agrees with APT producer Tony Tuviera?s observation that ?Urduja? is a product of serendipity. ?Everything just fell into place,? Ogie says. As in ?Ploning,? he wasn?t originally meant to work on ?Urduja.?

Joey was supposed to collaborate with Vic Sotto, but the latter proved too busy with ?Eat Bulaga? and the ?Enteng? movies, recalls Tony.

?At first, I was daunted [to fill Vic?s shoes], but who wouldn?t want to be part of ?Urduja??? Ogie says.

(E-mail: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com)