Aunor, known as the Superstar or Ate Guy in the entertainment industry thanked her fans during her speech.  

“Kung hindi po dahil sa kanila, wala po ako dito sa harapan ninyo ngayon,” she said, as the audience continued to cheer her on.

(If were not for them, I would not be here in front of all of you.)

She also expressed her appreciation to the cast and crew of the movie as well as the people behind Cinemalaya.

Aunor also said that she will continue to make films for as long as the audience wants especially for today’s generation.

“Asahan ninyo na habang andyan kayo na sumusuporta pa rin po, patuloy akong gagawa ng pelikulang makabuluhan, lalo na sa mga kabataan ngayon. Sana po’y magsilbing inspirasyon sa kanila lahat ng mga ginagawa kong pelikula.”

(As long as you continue to support, I will continue to make meaningful films, especially for today’s youth. I hope it will serve as an inspiration to them, the movies I make.)

Aunor’s win comes only a short time after she was excluded from the list of National Artists, released last June, which was the subject of much controversy.   

On July 1, President Benigno Aquino III spoke on the issue, saying the reason the actress was excluded was due to her drug case back in 2005. But Aunor’s lawyer in the US clarified that she was never convicted. 

The actress eventually spoke up on the issue, saying that while she was hurt, she is grateful for the continuous support from friends, showbiz colleagues and fans. –Rappler.com