36th MMFF Best Actress: Ai Ai delas Alas turns emotional over her first MMFF Best Actress award for 'Ang Tanging Ina Mo, Last Na 'To' (Photo by LJ PASION)

MANILA, Philippines - For the first time in many years, comedy dominated the Metro Manila Film Festival.

“Ang Tanging Ina Mo, Last Na ‘To,” said to be the final installment of the “Tanging Ina” trilogy, was the biggest winner at the “Gabi ng Parangal” held Dec. 26 at the Meralco Theater in Pasig City. It bagged the most number of awards (nine) including Best Picture, Best Director for Wenn Deramas, and Best Actress and Supporting Actress for Ai Ai delas Alas and Eugene Domingo, respectively.

Comedy King Dolphy, meanwhile, won two trophies despite the controversy that hit his film “Father Jejemon” recently. These were Best Actor for the said film, and Best Supporting Actor for his pivotal role in “Rosario.” The 82-year-old veteran had his first MMFF best actor trophy in 1990 for “Espadang Patpat.”

Dolphy, however, was absent at Sunday's awarding ceremony.

It was in 2006 when a film with a comic touch was named Best Picture: “Enteng Kabisote 3: Okay ka, Fairy Ko: The Legend Goes on and on and on.” This year’s festival, meanwhile, marked the first time a comedienne won Best Actress, an award often bestowed on drama thespians.

Having been very vocal, albeit lightheartedly, in previous interviews of her desire to snag the Best Actress trophy, Delas Alas was emotional during her speech. She was sobbing before managing to utter her acknowledgments still stamped with her signature humor. The actress bested nominees Carla Abellana for “Shake, Rattle and Roll 12” and Marian Rivera for “Super Inday and the Golden Bibe.”

Delas Alas dedicated her award to her three children and to two actresses whom she deemed as her co-nominees (but are said to have been surprisingly “snubbed”): her “Friendship” Kris Aquino (“Dalaw”) and Jennylyn Mercado (“Rosario”).

“Si Friendship Kris, si Jennylyn… si Jennylyn ang mahigpit kong kalaban. Jennylyn para sa’yo din ‘to. Pasensya ka na, eh, tutal matanda ako sa’yo, ibigay mo na ‘to sa’kin, bibigyan kita ng marami next time! Friendship sabi mo asa ako, ayan o nanalo ako!” exclaimed Delas Alas, sending the audience cheering.

She capped off her speech by saying that her only wish that’s yet to be granted is to marry Vic Sotto.

“Para in case kami na ang magpo-produce at hindi na kami magkalaban sa film fest. Amin na lahat ng kita. ‘Yun na lang hihintayin ko, thank you po sa inyong lahat!” she said.

Deramas was quite emotional too, as he went up and down the stage several times to accept awards in behalf of his co-production members prior to receiving the awards for Best Director and Best Picture.

“Parang naawa lang ‘yung MMFF kasi akyat [ako] ng akyat,” he kidded.

He dedicated his award to Delas Alas and to his “original Ang Tanging Ina,” his mother.

Deramas was clueless why Albert Martinez, director of “Rosario,” was not nominated in the filmmakers’ category (or even Jennylyn for Best Actress). Note that “Rosario” competed with “Tanging Ina” and “RPG: Metanoia” for the story and screenplay categories. Luis Suarez (“RPG”) and Mike Tuviera (“Super Inday”) were the two other director nominees.

“Ang gagawin ko ay papanoorin ko ‘yong pelikula (‘Rosario’), pagkatapos ko mapanood ang pelikula, tatahimik ako, ba’t naman ako magsasalita? Napakasama naman ng ugali ko. Susuportahan ko po ‘yon, oo. May dahilan ang lahat, naniniwala ako d’on. Kung ano ‘yung dahilan na ‘yon hindi ko rin alam. So manonood po ako promise, uubusin ko po lahat at uunahin namin ni Ai Ai itong [Dec.] 28 ang ‘Father Jejemon’ para kay Mang Dolphy,” he told the press after the awards show.

Nevertheless, “Rosario” emerged as the second biggest winner at the 36th MMFF with seven awards, including for production design, cinematography, editing, the Gat Puno Cultural Award (as it “best presents and represents Filipino values and culture”) and Second Best Picture.

The Philippines’ first 3D animated film “RPG,” which is said to be “five years in the making,” took home four awards, including Third Best Picture and a Special Citation for Most Gender-Sensitive Film with Animation.

Top-grosser “Si Agimat at Si Enteng Kabisote” failed to translate its enormous success at the tills to many MMFF trophies. While Bong Revilla’s fantasy and visual effects-laden entries at the previous film fests reaped numerous awards, his film with Sotto only got two, for make-up and visual effects.

“Father Jejemon” and “Super Inday” got an award each, while horror flicks “Dalaw” and “Shake, Rattle and Roll 12” went home empty-handed.

Adolf Alix Jr.’s “Presa” was declared winner in the festival’s newest category, Best Indie Film. It got a 100,000-peso cash prize.

Results of the film fest are expected to boost ticket sales. As Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman and overall festival head Francis Tolentino enthused during his opening remarks at the awards night, this year’s film fest beat last year’s first-day record of P77M with P90M.

Opening day sales published on some entertainment websites reported the following figures: (1) “Si Agimat at Si Enteng Kabisote,” P31M; (2) “Ang Tanging Ina Mo, Last Na ‘To,” P20M; (3) “Dalaw,” P12.5M; (4) “Shake, Rattle and Roll 12,” P11.8M; (5) “RPG: Metanoia,” P5.1M; (6) “Super Inday and the Golden Bibe,“ P4.7M; (7) “Rosario,” P3.2M; and (8) “Father Jejemon,” P1.4M.

The Board of Jury for the 36th MMFF was composed of Executive Secretary Edwin Lacierda, MMDA chairman Tolentino, this year’s Execomm, and to foster “active public participation,” a bus driver, a housewife, a public school teacher, and a student.

Aside from the nomination process, the addition of a category and laymen as part of the jury, the box-office sales were eliminated as part of the evaluation for Best Picture. Instead, the jury grounded its selection on films that “espoused tried and tested principles of inherent Filipino values,” Chairman Tolentino said.

The criteria used for judging were also modified: Artistry, creativity, innovativeness, global appeal, and technical excellence took up 70%, while cultural and historical value, 30%.

Chairman Tolentino said they intend to implement other changes next year particularly by introducing new categories and adding other laymen as members of the jury. The committee also plans to use text messaging as part of the voting process for Best Picture.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Indie Film: “Presa” (Adolf Alix, Jr.)
Best Child Performer: Xyriel Manabat (“Ang Tanging Ina Mo, Last Na ‘To”)
Best Production Design: Joey Luna and Miki Hahn (“Rosario”)
Best Sound Recording: Ditoy Aguila (“Super Inday and the Golden Bibe”) and Sandy Aguinaldo and Co. (“RPG: Metanoia”)
Best Musical Score: Jesse Lasaten (“Tanging Ina”)
Best Theme Song: “Kaya Mo” (“RPG”)
Best Make-Up: Nestor Dayao and Co. (“Si Agimat at Si Enteng Kabisote”)
Best Visual Effects: Rico Gutierrez and Co. (“Si Agimat at Si Enteng”)
Best Editing: John Wong (“Rosario”)
Best Cinematography: Carlo Mendoza (“Rosario”)
Best Festival Float: “Rosario”
Special Citation for Most Gender-Sensitive Film with Animation: “RPG”
Most Gender-Sensitive Film: “Tanging Ina”
Best Supporting Actor: Dolphy (“Rosario”)
Best Supporting Actress: Eugene Domingo (“Tanging Ina”)
Best Story: Mel Del Rosario (“Tanging Ina”)
Best Screenplay: Mel Del Rosario (“Tanging Ina”)
Best Director: Wenn Deramas (“Tanging Ina”)
Gat Puno Cultural Award: “Rosario”
Best Picture (all movies are nominated): 3rd, “RPG,” 2nd, “Rosario,” 1st, “Tanging Ina” 
Best Actor: Dolphy (“Father Jejemon”)
Best Actress: Ai Ai delas Alas (“Tanging Ina”)

Special Awards given that night were:
Male and Female Faces of the Night: Bong Revilla and Sam Pinto
Best Dressed Male and Female Celebrities: Dennis Trillo and Jennylyn Mercado.