Famas win caps off Andi’s ‘roller-coaster’ year, Robin calls for ‘social revolution’

Andi Eigenmann —Photos by Grig Montegrande

“The year 2016 has been one heck of a roller-coaster ride of emotions [for me],” said controversial actress Andi Eigenmann.

Andi accepted on Sunday her first best actress award for the Carlo J. Caparas film, “Angela Markado,” at the 64th Famas (Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences) Awards, held at the Century Park Hotel in Pasay City.

While the actress celebrated triumphs this year—like the successes of the film, “Ma’ Rosa,” which brought her to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, and her TV show, “The Greatest Love”—she has had disappointments, too.

Andi had a falling out with her mom, Jaclyn Jose. She finally ended her on-again, off-again relationship with ex-beau Jake Ejercito. She also became the subject of tabloid headlines in relation to the “true identity” of the father of her 4-year-old daughter.

“With all the blessings that I’ve been receiving, I can’t be more grateful as the year ends. I realized that no matter how many times we fall down, we should never let go of who we are,” she stressed. “Believing in myself, and never giving up—that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.”

The 26-year-old actress added: “Given that the Lord has never stopped showering me with blessings, no matter how misunderstood I may have been by the media, it only means that I’m doing something right. The One Up There, who sees everything, has never forgotten to bless me with wonderful opportunities.”

Action star Robin Padilla, who accepted the Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award, was undoubtedly the scene-stealer during the three-hour ceremony. He said he wrote his thank-you speech on the back page of the presidential memorandum granting him absolute pardon.

Robin was convicted for illegal possession of firearms in 1994, with a 21-year prison sentence. He was released in 1997 after being granted conditional pardon by former President Fidel Ramos. With the absolute pardon from President Duterte, The action star had hoped to be given a visa to enter the United States to visit his wife, Mariel Rodriguez, and their newborn daughter, Maria Isabel.

Robin Padilla

The actor said to receive this particular award from the Famas was a dream come true, “as a stuntman and as a fan of action movies.”

He added that he might not have had the chance to work with FPJ in a film project, but he had been part of the late actor’s group who shared interesting stories [about the legendary actor] over bottles of beer.

“I knew of FPJ not just as the film industry’s action king, but also as a hero who made it his advocacy to help the poor,” said Padilla.

He likened Poe to the revolutionary hero, Andres Bonifacio, “who fought for the interests of the marginalized and the uneducated.” He said that, like the Supremo, Poe had also been a victim of “dirty politics in the Philippines.”

The actor, known to deliver melodramatic speeches that often call for social revolution, then addressed the lead actors of film dramas and TV actioners, Coco Martin and Dingdong Dantes: “Sa inyo ang pelikula; sa akin ang rebolusyon!”

Lipa Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto was the recipient of the Presidential Award. She said she got her first Famas best actress trophy in 1971 for Emmanuel H. Borlaza’s “Dama de Noche.”

“Who would think that after so many years, I would also get this,” she said in her acceptance speech. “I will never stop being an actress. I’ll never leave this industry even though I’m busy being a public servant.”

Dennis Trillo bagged the best actor trophy for his performance in the three-hour biopic, “Felix Manalo,” which also won best picture and best director (for Joel Lamangan).

Gabby Concepcion and Lorna Tolentino were declared best supporting actor and actress, respectively, for the film, “Crazy Beautiful You.”