MANILA, Philippines – The 5^th Ani ng Dangal Awards held Friday, March 8, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines was a night of intensely moving art in all its forms.

Nothing less can be expected of the awards ceremony, the culminating event of the 2013 Philippine Arts Festival held by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

NCCA Chairman Felipe de Leon Jr led the ceremony to recognize Filipinos who have brought honor to the country by winning in international competitions in their respective fields.

In his welcoming remarks, he declared, “The arts lead the way for all other kinds of development. Our artists, just like the artists of the European Renaissance, will always be at the vanguard of human progress.”

Among the winners were actresses Nora Aunor and Shamaine Buencamino, singer Sarah Geronimo, directors Brillante Mendoza (“Thy Womb”), Marty Syjuco (“Give Up Tomorrow”) and Marlon Rivera (“Ang Babae sa Septic Tank”).

The Cinema category was blessed with the most number of awardees with a total of 15. 

The night was peppered with performances by some of the winners themselves.

Sarah Geronimo performed the “Ani ng Sining” theme song and was announced as the new NCCA Goodwill Ambassador for Music.

Best Dancers at the Cheonan World Dance Competition 2012 Peter Laurent Callangan and Irina Feleo performed their award-winning indigenous dance.

The hip hop dance group The Crew regaled audiences with their upbeat, modern choreography. The group won the Gold Medal at the 2012 World Hip Hop Dance Championship held in Las Vegas.

Operatic singer Joseleo Logdat, Grand Prix winner at the 6^th Yokohama International Music Competition in Japan moved the audiences as well with two songs.

Here is the list of winners and their international achievements:

Architecture & Allied Arts

• Aidea Philippines, Inc. – The openBIM Build London Live 2012 Award
• Kenneth Cobonpue – Top Pick Award for Cabaret Sofa, American Society of Interior Designers Architectural Digest Home Design Show

Cinema

• Nora Aunor – Best Actress for “Thy Womb,” 6^th Annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards and Bisato d’Oro Award for “Thy Womb,” Premio Della Critica Indipendiente
• Shamaine Buencamino – Best Supporting Actress for “Niño,” 6^th Asian Film Awards
• Lav Diaz – NETPAC Prize for Best Asian Film for “Florentinahubaldo,” CTE 13^th Jeonju International Film Festival
• Lawrence Fajardo – Best Feature Film for “Posas,” Hanoi International Film Festival 2012
• Charles Andrew Flamiano – Winner in the 14-17 Age Category for “Letting Go, Letting God,” Faith Shorts 2012 of Tony Blair Faith Foundation
• Will Fredo – Best Director for “The Caregiver,” International Film Festival Manhattan 2012
• Christopher Gozum – Le Prix des Signes for “Anacbanua,” 10^th International Festival Signes de Nuit
• Brillante Mendoza – Best Director for “Thy Womb,” 6^th Annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards
• Marlon Rivera – NETPAC-Asian Film Prize for “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank,” 6^th Annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards
• Adrian Sibal – Grand Prize for “The Rivals,” ADB MyView Asia-Pacific Video Contest 2012 for Asia Clean Energy Forum 2012
• Eduardo Roy Jr – Lotus du Jury for “Bahay Bata,” 14^th Deauville Asian Film Festival
• Auraeus Solito – Grand Prize for “Busong,” National Geographic All Roads Film Festival
• John Paul Su – Best Asian-American Filmmaker East Region Winner for “Pagpag,” Directors Guild of America Student Film Awards
• Marty Syjuco – Best Documentary for “Give Up Tomorrow,” Anchorage International Film Festival 2011
• Brandon Relucio and Ivan Zaldarriaga – Best Picture for “Di Ingon ‘Nato,” Macabre Festival Internacional de Cine de Horror de la Ciudad de Mexico

Dance

• Candice Adea – 1^st Prize, Senior Women’s Divison, Helsinki International Ballet Competition
• Peter Laurent Callangan – Best Dancer, Couples Category, Cheonan World Dance Competition 2012
• The Crew – 1^st Place, 2012 World Hip Hop Dance Championships
• Irina Feleo – Best Dancer, Couples Category, Cheonan World Dance Competition 2012
• Halili-Cruz Ballet Company – Grand Pize Winner, 14^th Asia Pacific Dance Competition

Dramatic Arts

• Peter de Guzman – Best Choreographer, 2012 L.A. Weekly Theater Awards

Literary Arts

• Romulo Baquiran Jr – S.E.A. Write Award, Southeast Asian Writers Awards 2012

Multi-disciplinary Arts

• BBDO Guerrero – Grand Prix, Public Service Advertising, Ad Stars 2012
• Kara David – UNICEF Child Rights Award, Asia Broadcasting Union Awards 2012
• Sarah Geronimo – Best Asian Artist, 2012 Mnet Asian Music Awards
• Wansapanataym – Prize of the Children’s Jury, 7-11 Fiction, Prix Jeunesse International

Music

• Baao Children’s Chorus – 1^st Place, 18^th Certamen International Juvenil de Habaneras y Polifonia
• Edgardo Manguiat – 1^st Place, 18^th Certamen International Juvenil de Habaneras y Polifonia
• Imusicapella – Grand Prix Winner, 2012 Busan Choral Festival and Competition
• Joseleo Logdat – Grand Prix, 6^th Yokohama International Music Competition
• Miriam College High School Glee Club – Gold IV Diploma, Youth Choir of Equal Voices World Choir Games 2012 and Gold V Diploma, Musika Sacra World Choir Games 2012
• Muntinlupa Science High School Chorale – Gold V Diploma, Mixed Youth Choirs Category, 1^st Guangzhou International Open Competition
• Novo Concertante Manila – Grand Prix, 1^st Xinghai Prize International Choir Competition and Grand Prize, 2012 Asia Cantate International Choral Competition
• Samiweng Singers – Gold IV Diploma, Folklore, World Choir Games 2012
• Arwin Tan – Outstanding Conductor Prize, 2012 Asia Cantate International Choral Competition
• UP Concert Chorus – 1^st Prize, 30^th Festival Internacional de Musica de Cantonigros
• UP Singing Ambassadors – 1^st Prize, Romantic Period Music, LX Concorso Polifonico Internazionale Guido d’Arezzo and 1^st Prize, Folklore Music, LX Concorso Polifonico Internazionale Guido d’Arezzo

Visual Arts

• George Tapan – PATA Gold Award for Travel Photograph, Pacific Asia Travel Association 2012 Gold Awards and Winner for Places Category, National Geographic Photo Contest 2011
• Jamille Bianca Aguilar – 1^st Prize, Fine Arts High Schools’ “From Green to Blue” Competition of Children’s Art Work
• Joel Forte – 1^st Prize, ADB’s CLICK: Capturing Images of Inclusive Growth and 1^st Place, Tumbhi’s 2012 Nature and Wildlife Photography Contest
• Zohayma Montañer – Islamic Artist of the Year, Pearl International
• Trisha Co Reyes – 1^st Prize, 24^th Annual Lions International Peace Poster Contest
• Engr Jaime Singlador – 1^st Place, ASEAN Secretariat Photo Competition
• Jamia Mei Tolentino – Grand Prize, 2012 Wrecks of the World International Art Contest
• Jophel Botero Ybiosa – Grand Prize, 24^th Annual Lions International Peace Poster Contest

– Rappler.com