The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Metropolitan Theatre, the newly renovated art house in Manila, was fully lighted in front and its glass-stained deco was colourfully glowing and beckoning film artists and guests to get to the hall to green light the 5th Eddys Awards of the Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors (Speed).
At the lobby, ABS-CBN Entertainment Bureau consultant Mario V. Dumaual was running after a fully sequined gowned star for an interview but I didn’t bother to approach him as I initially was looking for sexy actress Divina Valencia who requested me to write a short acceptance speech for her Philippine Movie Icon Special Award she would share with Alma Moreno, Phillip Salvador and Roi Vinzon who were around to accept the plum but their fellow nominees Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon, collectively known as Tito, Vic & Joey were nowhere Ice Seguerra accepted the award on their behalf. “Mga tatay ko sila at marami akong natutunan sa kanila para magtagal sa (I consider them my second dad as I learned a lot from them for durability in) showbiz,” said Ice, the former Aiza Seguerra who was still a toddler when the trio co-hosted with her in the longest running noontime variety show on TV, “Eat Bulaga” which is now aired in GMA Network.
Movie icon recipients Helen Gamboa, Sharon Cuneta and Elizabeth Oropesa failed to grace the event for reasons still undisclosed.
Divina and I missed our lobby date when she came in early with her kin and went afterwards to the hall where she was seated in front. She thanked me, though, after I gave her the notes I printed out in bold letters for her reading only to leave the 2-page speech on her seat as she extemporaneously delivered her thoughts that arrested the interest of the crowd. “Hindi n’yo makakalimutan ang kantang (Of course, you remember the novelty adaptation song of the Beatles’ ‘Hard Days’ Night.’ ‘Divina Valencia, Stella Suarez nagbuburles (going nude),” she sang a capella after a chuckle. “Pero ako ang una sa billing (But I am billed first),” she quipped alluding to her rivalry with Stella.
Alma candidly said she has lost her curvaceous figure and has remained realistic about the body change. Roi thanked fellow action star Levy Ignacio for his new stunts onscreen instructed by the latter. Meanwhile, Phillip was gratified with National Artist for Film Lino Brocka for the director’s rigid training in him as an actor.
Boy Abunda was still the master toastmaster of the awards night as he carried the show with aplomb filling each dead air with his wits and stories.
As it turned out, Dumaual wasn’t only a roving movie field reporter that night but he would also receive, after all, the eponymous Jose Quirino Award for entertainment broadcast journalism. Now scriptwriter Eric Ramos received the Manny Pichel Award, a recognition which was aptly conferred to Eric for being a protégée of Manny in the writing and editing fields.
Ex-Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Liza Diño-Seguerra wittingly and yet unwittingly performed the role of a gracious usherette as she led in guests queuing up to the hall. She was unassuming of herself as an artist because as a producer of Fire and Ice Productions which she shared with husband Ice, she had to make sure everything went well in the live and broadcast presentations.
Ice was the director of the show who also managed to sing well “Minsan ang Minahal ay Ako” to pay tribute to Susan Roces and Cherie Gil and other posthumous artists behind and onscreen.
The other major awards in the 2022 Eddys:
- Best Film—“On the Job (OTJ): The Missing 8”
- Best Director—Erik Matti (“OJT”)
- Best Actress—Charo Santos (“Kun Maupay Man It Panahon”)
- Best Actor—Christian Bables (“Big Night”)
- Best Supporting Actor—Mon Confiado, “Arisaka”
- Best Supporting Actress—Lotlot de Leon, “OTJ”
- Best Sound—Corrine de San Jose, “OTJ”
- Best Musical Score—triple tie for Erwin Romulo, Malek Lopez and Arvin Nogueras for “OTJ,” Teresa Barrozo for “Big Night” and Cesar Francis Concio “Love is Color Blind”
- Best Original Theme Song—“Maghihintay” by Marion Aunor for “More than Blue”
- Best Visual Effects—Mothership for “OTJ”
- Best Editing—Jay Halili for “OTJ”
- Best Production Design—Whammy Alcazaren for “Kun Maupay Man It Panahon”
- Best Cinematography—Neil Derrik Bion for “OTJ”
- Best Screenplay—Jun Robles Lana for “Big Night”
Other Special Awards: Isah V. Red Awards—Kapuso Foundation, Sagip Kapamilya, Gretchen Barretto, Kris Aquino and Alfred Vargas
Male and Female Faces of the Night by Bautederm—Alexa Miro and Sean de Guzman
Best Rising Producers Circle—Rein Entertainment
Best Producer of the Year—Viva Entertainment. (Boy Villasanta)