MANILA, Philippines?The 2008 Myx VJ Search winners have more to offer than their toothy smiles and youthful charm.

?We wanted quality,? said Myx channel head Andrei Alvarez, who presided over the judging and announced the results before a live audience recently at Trinoma in Quezon City.

Criteria

Four new VJs were chosen out of 12 finalists: Robi Domingo, 18, a runner-up in ?Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition;? Monica Yncierto, 20, a radio DJ at NU 107; Chino Lui Pio, 22, younger brother of Hale frontman Champ; and Bianca Roque, 23, a former flight attendant.

The winners, who will sign a one-year contract as exclusive Myx talents, were picked via text voting (30 percent) and judging by a panel of Myx staff and officers (70 percent). The text votes reportedly totaled 100,000.

?We observed how they behaved off-cam and how people related to them,? explained Alvarez. ?We also rated their attitude, commitment, punctuality, and overall wholesome image.?

Myx, the music channel of ABS-CBN, started airing in 2001 on Studio 23. It is the chief rival of MTV Philippines and is known for its all-out support of OPM and local musicians.

On its current roster of VJs are Luis Manzano, Nikki Gil, Iya Villania, Jett Pangan and Raimund Marasigan. Some of its former jocks were Geoff Eigenmann, Heart Evangelista, Bernard Palanca, Karel Marquez, Rico Blanco, Sanya Smith (a daughter of Joey ?Pepe? Smith), Mica Froilan and Igi Guerrero.

Winning qualities

Froilan, Guerrero and Smith are bowing out this year.

This is only the second time that a public search for new VJs was conducted. The first one was held last year.

So, what qualities do this year?s winners have?

Said Alvarez: ?Robi?s charisma appeals to the primary age group that Myx caters to, the 13-19 year-olds. Monica is very spontaneous; her background as a radio jock definitely helped. Chino is a chick magnet. Bianca is sophisticated and has a weird sense of humor.?

Regular Myx viewers had the chance to size up all the aspirants, who were given spot exposures on the channel several weeks before the finals.

Wisecracks

On finals night, all 12 finalists projected confidence. However, when program hosts Manzano and Gil asked what they learned from trying out as VJs, a few resorted to wisecracks, which wasn?t likely to earn them the needed extra points.

As a treat for the spectators, the groups Hale, Hilera, Nyoy Volante, MYMP and Sugarfree performed songs from their albums.

Before joining the new jocks for photo snaps onstage, Alvarez noted the major role that Myx has been playing in support of local talents. ?We?re proud of what we?re doing for OPM,? he said. ?It?s harder to get a Pinoy song played on FM radio than it is to have its video aired on Myx.?