Few stars turn up for MMFF awards

“ASIONG” team ecstatic for bagging 11 awards

NOEME Tamayo, mother of child star Buboy Villar, cried when she was not allowed into the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World in Pasay City on Wednesday night.

Her son, nominated as Best Child Performer for “Panday 2” in the 37th Metro Manila Film Festival, was already inside the 1,500-seat theater when ushers decided to lock the doors five minutes before the program started.

Noeme was one of 50 people who had tickets but were not able to enter the venue. The ushers said the theater, on the hotel’s third floor, was packed and could collapse.

“One of the ushers said 2,000 people were already inside. This meant the MMDA issued more tickets than the venue could hold,” an observer noted. The Metro Manila Development Authority is the host of the annual fete.

A source explained: “The offices of some city mayors had requested more tickets than they were allotted.”

But later on, Noeme and some members of the print media, were allowed to go in.

The four-hour ceremony, hosted by Ai Ai de las Alas, Richard Gomez and John Estrada, began at 9 p.m., two hours later than announced. (It will be aired on ABS-CBN’s “Sunday’s Best.”)

Isay Alvarez, Robert Seña, Sam Concepcion and Tippy Dos Santos introduced the seven film entries in song. Iza Calzado, Gab Valenciano, the Sexbomb Girls and Danz Focus paid tribute to the late dancer-choreographer Lito Calzado in a production number featured half-way through the show.

JOHN Regala and Phillip Salvador

In the final gap, Pops Fernandez sang a medley of the best movie theme songs with the Philippine Tesalonica Chorale.

Among the few

The celebrity gauge was conspicuously low. Spotted among the few were real-life couple Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo, Maria Isabel Lopez and daughter Mara, Eugene Domingo, Nikki Valdez, JC Parker, Baron Geisler, Boots Anson-Roa, German Moreno and John Regala.

The entire production team of Regal Entertainment’s drama “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” was noticeably absent—in protest of MMDA’s decision to disqualify the film from competing in certain categories, for “deviating from the pre-approved story line.”

In an official statement, Regal matriarch Lily Monteverde vehemently denied any such violation and said she was “shocked, dismayed and deeply hurt.”

Laguna Gov. ER Ejercito, who turned up in a 1950s-inspired suit by Ino Sotto, said he would patch things up with Tikoy Aguiluz, his director for “Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story.”

Aguiluz had earlier demanded that his name be stricken off the film’s credits and promo materials, claiming that “Asiong” had been reshot, reedited, and rescored without his knowledge, and should no longer be attributed to him.

Ejercito explained, “Nagtampo lang si Direk because we had to reedit the story based on the original script. I’m hoping that Tikoy will still direct my next film, ‘El Presidente.’”

On a positive note, Leo Martinez, director general of the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), said he was confident the MMFF would easily reach its P600-million target this year. FAP is one of three beneficiaries of the MMFF.

GAB VALENCIANO and Iza Calzado in a dance number to honor her dad, Lito Calzado.

Iza received the lifetime achievement award for her father Lito Calzado, who died of cancer early this month. Eddie Garcia was given the same award for his contribution to the industry for over three decades.

Richard Gomez and Iza received the Celebrity Face of the Night honors. Iza and Ryan Agoncillo were the night’s Most Glamorous Stars. Agoncillo shared the Kutis Ganda award with Ai Ai de las Alas. Governor Ejercito and Judy Ann Santos received the Celebrity Sexiest Appeal of the Night award.