Glitter & glam at the 1st MTRCB Awards

While majority of the awards organizations limped their way through the recent awards season — with no telling when the FAMAS and Film Academy Awards will be held — the Movie and Television Review & Classification Board went out of its way to honor achievements in local film last Friday, June 25.

A project of Chairman Ma. Consoliza Laguardia, the first MTRCB Awards for Movies was staged at the theater of Crossroads 77, that charming little building along Scout Reyes Street in Quezon City (near St. Mary‘s College). Last year, the classification board also gave awards to television.

I‘ve already hosted quite a number of awards presentations, but this one was a different experience: I can say that the negotiations that led to the event were done in a very professional manner (legal, even) — and with a personal touch to boot.

I say legal because that was the first time I ever hosted an event where I was made to sign a contract. In show business, all of us are actually bound by contracts, except that nobody bothers with these legal documents. We just sign and sign, but don‘t read. Now, you know why we all get into legal tussles.

The way it works in the entertainment profession, casting directors simply call us and everything is verbal. But since the MTRCB is a government agency, there is administrative protocol and clearly the people manning this office always stick by the rules.

When MTRCB staff member Delia Baldo sought me out middle of the month at the Startalk studio in GMA 7 to hand me the document, I became curious and scanned its contents. I panicked a bit when I saw legalistic parlance that all started with the word “whereas.” Every sentence practically started with that and that scared me.

I simply grasped what the document stated and the way I understood it, I should make sure I showed up June 25, 2010 to the said event — or else. I didn’t bother to find out anymore what legal repercussions awaited me in case of non-appearance. I simply took one deep breath, held a pen and signed what I counted were three copies. Before the ink could even dry out, I made a firm resolve in my head to block off my calendar on that day and psyched myself up to stay healthy and not fall into any kind of illness prior to the awards night.

Whatever pressure I felt at that point disappeared when only minutes later, Chairman Laguardia herself walked into the studio and later asked me if I had signed the contract. I did — I told her — and whatever apprehension I had was gone in an instant since I‘ve always trusted her anyway. And I thought that was so sweet of her to visit us in the studio. (Of course, we all had to be on our best behavior that time.)

Then came the actual awards presentation itself and for the first time in my career I respected the call time (6:30 p.m.). I guess there‘s nothing like legal documents to make a person come at the appointed hour.

When I got to the venue, I went straight to the holding area for talents and asked to be briefed about the proceedings. Show director Joey Romero was there and I felt assured that I was going to be in good hands.

It was also comforting to know that my co-host that evening was Jackie Aquino (former MTRCB vice chairman and current member). Although we hardly see each other these days, we go back a long way and had always been fond of each other. (At one time, we were even part of a Catholic Charismatic group, except that I became a fallen angel, while she remained morally upright, which makes her perfect for her MTRCB job.)

 Jackie actually proved to be a dream co-host because she picked up fast and was always alert and witty behind the podium. The affair may seem to have flowed smoothly, but there were, admittedly, little (unavoidable) production problems backstage that only Jackie and I knew — presenters not showing up on time as usual, movie stars being movie stars.

But the first MTRCB Awards was nevertheless a success — the most glamorous showbiz event this awards season. All the participants were in their best bib and tucker: Richard Gomez, Congresswomen Lucy Torres and Lani Mercado, Cesar Montano and Sunshine Cruz, German Moreno and now US-based actress Bella Flores. But the most glamorous of them all was undeniably lifetime achievement honoree Lily Monteverde, who was radiant in her black terno.

Although it rained hard that night, inside the venue, there was warmth and camaraderie between movie people and the so-called guardians of morality. In the past these two were like water and oil that can‘t mix and were always at odds with each other. But trust Chairman Laguardia to bridge whatever gap there is between the industry and the MTRCB.

Below is the complete list of the 1st MTRCB Awards:

Best Drama Film — Himpapawid

Best Comedy — Last Supper No. 3

Best Action-Fantasy — Ang Panday

Best Actress — Vilma Santos (In My Life)

Best Actor (tie) — Alfred Vargas and Lou Veloso (Colorum)

Best Supporting Actress — Maria Isabel Lopez (Kinatay)

Best Supporting Actor — John Lloyd Cruz (In My Life)

Best Director — Raymond Red (Himpapawid)

Best Screenplay — Raymond Red (Himpapawid)