What are the Philippine Idol girls singing

Reliable sources have given Philippine Idol Updates this spoiler.

Jazz seems to be the genre of choice for the majority of the Philippine Idol contestants, with six ladies picking jazz songs for their showcase. Philippine Idol finalist Ira Marasigan is set to fly over the runs of Mr. Melody, Philippine Idol finalist Jellica Mateo will try to bring something new to Sergio Mendes' Bridges, Philippine Idol finalist Stephanie Lazaro will take on Home (we're not sure if it's Michael Buble's showpiece or the immortal ballad from Judy Garland), while Philippine Idol finalist Maureen Marcelo is set to impress with Anita Baker's Sweet Love. Philippine Idol finalist Anmarie Cruz will try to shed off a reported old-soul image with a take on the neo-soul classic Superwoman, while Philippine Idol finalist Suey Medina plays it equally cool with Patti Austin's Rhythm of the Street.

Five of the remaining six Philippine Idol girls are delivering OPM tracks and torch ballads. Cherry Chiu, the Philippine Idol finalist who sang Spaghetti at her audition in Manila, has lined up the torch ballad Almost Over You, while current Philippine Idol Updates poll front-runner Erika Bautista will do her own version of Rachel Alejandro's Paalam Na. Other Philippine Idol finalists doing local songs include Ina Pangan, who is set to give her own take on Halik, and Paw Chavez, who will try to bring a new twist to Ikaw Lamang. In a risky move, Philippine Idol finalist Christina Otero will take on Wendy Moten's Come In Out of the Rain, inviting comparisons to that other female champion on that other network who sang that as her finals contest piece. Philippine Idol finalist Christina Otero will take on the Melissa Manchester chestnut, the Carole Bayer-Sager-penned Come In From the Rain.

The sole breakaway Philippine Idol finalist to not pick a jazz, OPM, or ballad piece, is Abigail Blanco, who picks the uptempo R&B pop hit by Tina Turner, What’s Love Got to Do With It.

Our Predictions on Paper (POP, predictions made on song choice):
In a crowded group of female singers, Blanco's different song choice, if she delivers it well, bodes well for an easy entry into the Top 4. What's Love Got to Do With It is the only uptempo track for the ladies, and will make Blanco stand out without a doubt.

Cherry Chiu's strong voice and selection of the immortal pop ballad Almost Over You (a favorite with the masa and AB crowds) stands to make her a strong contender, while we can't deny the decent-to-good vocal and incredible back story of Erika Bautista, the current #1 placer in the Philippine Idol Updates poll of the week for female contestants, coupled with a popular OPM track, Paalam Na, could signal her entry into the Top 4.

Our final POP entry is a tossup, because we're torn between the simple elegance and class of Ira Marasigan, whose song choice is, in our opinions, a terrible choice (refer to Jasmine Trias' botched attempt at Mr. Melody) and Maureen Marcelo, who we're sure will knock Sweet Love out of the ballpark. Sentimentally, we love Ira, but at least for the moment, we're placing our last bet on Marcelo.