MMDA chair Bayani to retain controversial MMFF format

At the victory party of MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando held at Annabel’s restaurant on Monday for being the Celebrity Duets Season 2 Grand Champion, the aspiring presidentiable was asked what does he intend to do with the forthcoming awards night of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). The MMDA, organizer of the awards night, drew flak last year’s staging when they decided to do away with the usual awards night format and instead had a concert of Lani Misalucha immediately right after the giving of awards.

It was the shortest awards night in the history of the MMFF Awards, as nominees were announced in random, and winner asked to proceed to the stage to pick up the trophy from the table that rose under the stage before making a quick speech. Many showbiz folks, including Senators Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada made scathing remarks on the format decided by BF and the rest of the awards night organizers. They said the format reduced the stars as mere spectators or just an aperitif to Lani Misalucha’s concert, especially as ushers and usherettes urged non-ticket holders to Lani’s concert to vacate the venue where the “short” awards night was held.

In other words, the MMDA made the concert of Lani the main event, and the awards night looked like a side event. But as BF reasoned out, the festival is a fund-raising event for the beneficiaries.

So are we going to see the same thing this year?

“Last week, the MMDA as well as the festival committee, talked about it and we decided that we are going to do the same thing as last year. We are going to have a concert. You know, we are spending so much for the awards night.  The objective of the MMFF is to earn money for its beneficiary which is actually the movie industry. So kami doon kami sa kikita ng pera,” he said.

“Wala kami doon sa art. Pagdating sa art, we leave it up to the beneficiaries (which is the film industry) for the artistic aspect of the festival. Our concern really is to earn money for the beneficiaries. Kaya ang awards night ganoon ang nangyari kasi wala kaming pagkukunan ng pera kaya we thought of coming up with a concert. We will only improve on it but there will still be a concert.”

As far as BF is concerned, the arrival of the stars in the Red Carpet area is more important. As far as the awards night procedure is concerned, they are doing away with the usual practice wherein a star or stars act as presenters of awards. “We want the winners to be all alone in the stage and not share the limelight with anyone. That’s the idea. All eyes would be on him as he gets his trophy and does his acceptance speech. This is a different concept. We should not always follow what is normally done,” explained the Celebrity Duets Season 2 grand champion.

“Pag ang nag-abot sa kanya ng premyo ay mas bigger star than him, matatabunan lang siya. Kaya iniba namin ang format to give the winners more importance,” BF added.

Wonder what Bong and Jinggoy will have to say about this. Both senators said it’s about time that the job of running the MMFF is returned to the people of the movie industry. It should not be entrusted to a government entity like the MMDA.

As for his big win in Celebrity Duets Season 2, BF said this was unexpected. Since the decision is done through text voting, BF said that it was hard to predict where the votes would come and go. But he conceded that his victory in the contest should augur well for his ambition to seek the presidency in 2010.

“If I have a wish this Christmas, I wish it would be good for my candidacy in 2010. My focus is connected with that,” said BF who added that he’s also wishing to get the endorsement of Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as the standard bearer of the administration party in 2010. But he readily admitted that getting such endorsement is going to be a challenge.