FDCP’S 2025 PARANGAL NG SINING
There’s always a unique energy to industry gatherings, but last Thursday’s Parangal ng Sining by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) felt unusually intimate despite its grandeur. Held at Seda Vertis North, the 2025 ceremony wasn’t just a parade of achievements — it was an expertly curated homage to the architects and trailblazers of Philippine cinema.
With its rich Art Deco stage design and seamless program flow, the event unfolded with polish and reverence. Actress Iza Calzado, in an immaculate white terno, served as host and set the tone for the evening.
From the detailed tribute montages to the emotionally charged speeches and shared embraces, the ceremony reminded everyone why storytelling still matters — and why we owe so much to the storytellers.
FDCP Chairman and CEO Jose Javier “Direk Joey” Reyes, who brilliantly led the night, captured the spirit of the night best in his welcome remarks: “If not for them, we’d have no present — and certainly no future — to speak of.” It was the third staging of Parangal ng Sining under his watch, and by all accounts, its most resonant yet.
A grand total of four Lifetime Achievement Awards were handed out that night, each tribute painstakingly produced and star-studded, as they should be. Former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, whose legacy includes founding the Metro Manila Film Festival and championing the rights of film workers through Mowelfund, was honored by none other than his successor as industry pillar and caretaker Boots Anson-Roa and his son, Senator Jinggoy Estrada.
“To be honored by your peers is the ultimate recognition,” said the latter, receiving the evening’s first award on his father’s behalf. “This award is not just a celebration of Joseph Estrada’s remarkable career as an actor. It recognizes a lifetime dedicated to using art as a platform for social change and national pride.”
Veteran director and Cinemalaya Foundation president Laurice Guillen accepted her award with quiet gravity. “As a child watching films in a small provincial theater, I dreamed of becoming a visual storyteller,” she said in a speech filled with deep gratitude. “Being an artist comes with serious social responsibility… it’s a wonderful cycle of growth.”
Her award was introduced by fellow veteran actor and immediate past FDCP Chairman Tirso Cruz III, whose tribute reminded everyone that legends don’t just make movies — they make moviemakers.
Then came the recognition for Lav Diaz, whose avant-garde and defiantly long-form works have earned him revered status on the global stage. His tribute was presented by the exceptionally talented John Lloyd Cruz, whose very rare public appearance felt both unexpected and, for that reason, oddly compelling. He strutted to the stage with a casual swagger, exchanged a high-five with the host, and after a deliberately long pause, offered a one-word, rocker-like “Alright” into the mic, before holding his phone up to it to play an introspective pre-recorded message.
The moment briefly disrupted the otherwise formal rhythm of the evening, yet in its own peculiar way, it landed. And when Cruz finally spoke, his voice was unguarded, almost reverent: “Sir Lav… your films changed the shape of my life. My body. My soul.” It was raw, disarming — and just like Diaz’s cinema, quietly unsettling in its truth.
Finally, Charo Santos-Concio, the esteemed media executive and actress, was introduced by Laurenti Dyogi, ABS-CBN’s Head of TV Production and Star Magic. Dyogi, who has worked closely with Santos-Concio, highlighted her transformative impact on Philippine media.
In her speech, Santos-Concio reflected on her journey from a young movie fan to a leading figure in the industry. “I was a movie fan before I was a filmmaker,” she recalled, sharing memories of wading through floodwaters to watch FPJ films.
Her leadership at the network and Star Cinema and co-founding of Sagip Pelikula have been instrumental in preserving Filipino cinematic heritage. “There’s a great mission ahead to save the vessel of the soul of our people,” she emphasized, underscoring the importance of safeguarding the nation’s storytelling legacy, and rallied tthe FDCP, “We are counting on you.”
The Annual Achievement Awards were no less thoughtful and certainly well deserved. Leading this year’s batch was superstar Judy Ann Santos, who won Best Actress at the Fantasporto International Film Festival in Portugal for 2024’s “Espantaho.” As Direk Joey warmly noted during her tribute, she was in Hong Kong that evening not for work, but to portray her most cherished role in real life — that of a mother, cheering on son Lucho at his soccer game.
Juday accepted her award via video message, visibly touched. “You have just given me more inspiration and more reason to love this industry even more,” she said, her voice filled with gratitude and the groundedness that has long endeared her to fans and colleagues alike.
Also awarded in this category were “Iti Mapukpukaw” (The Missing), Carl Joseph Papa’s emotionally resonant animated film that made history as the Philippines’ Best Animated Feature winner at the 2024 Asia Pacific Screen Awards; and Antoinette Jadaone’s “Sunshine,” a tender and beautifully understated coming-of-age film that earned the Crystal Bear for Best Film at the 75th Berlinale. Both works are important markers of where Filipino cinema is heading — bold, personal, and unapologetically original.
In closing, FDCP launched its new YouTube series, “Behind the Reel,” a digital archive of voices, memories, and visions from Filipino film artists, which is now live. And if the evening proved anything, it’s that honoring the giants of our past also means continuing the conversations they started — so the next wave of creators knows where they come from and what’s worth fighting for.