Camille Naredo

The cast of 'Pingkian' performs a number at the 15th Gawad Buhay Awards. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News

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Gawad Buhay Awards

Vlad Bunoan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1753883194504ebd964bc-a07d-474a-a338-52fd30d09d89.jfif" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The cast of &#x27;Pingkian&#x27; performs a number at the 15th Gawad Buhay Awards. Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The cast of &#x27;Pingkian&#x27; performs a number at the 15th Gawad Buhay Awards. <em>Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Tanghalang Pilipino emerged as the big winner at the 15th Gawad Buhay Awards, sweeping both Outstanding Play and Outstanding Musical for &quot;Balete&quot; and &quot;Pingkian: Isang Musikal&quot;, respectively.</p><p>The resident theater company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines took home a total of 17 awards, highlighting its creative leadership in original Filipino theater.</p><p>The Philippine Legitimate Stage Artists Group (Philstage) held the annual ceremony, the country&#x27;s premier recognition for excellence in live performing arts, under the theme &quot;Lakas ng Bawat Entablado,&quot; celebrating the collective strength of a diverse and resilient theater community.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2025/7/17/tanghalang-pilipino-s-new-season-offers-revolutionary-musicals-inspired-by-heroes-1145">READ: Tanghalang Pilipino’s new season offers revolutionary musicals inspired by heroes</a></div><p>&quot;Pingkian,&quot; a new musical based on the life of revolutionary writer Emilio Jacinto, won seven awards, including Outstanding Book of a Musical (Juan Ekis), Outstanding Original Score (Ejay Yatco and Ekis), </p><p>and Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical (Jenny Jamora). Vic Robinson earned Male Lead Performance in a Musical for his portrayal of Jacinto.</p><p>Meanwhile, &quot;Balete,&quot; a contemporary Filipino play based on F. Sionil Jose&#x27;s novel &quot;Tree&quot; and autobiography &quot;Promdi,&quot; collected 10 awards, including Outstanding Translation or Adaptation. Chris Millado was awarded Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play, with Nonie Buencamino and Marco Viaña winning Male Lead and Male Featured Performance in a Play, respectively. Toni Go-Yadao received Female Featured Performance in a Play, while Delphine Buencamino won Outstanding Choreography. </p><p>Repertory Philippines also had a strong showing, winning Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play for &quot;Betrayal,&quot; with Fabian Obispo awarded Outstanding Sound Design. The company&#x27;s productions of &quot;I Love You, You&#x27;re Perfect, Now Change&quot; and &quot;Jepoy and the Magic Circle&quot; were named Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical and Outstanding Production for Children, respectively. &quot;Jepoy&quot; also received a Special Citation for Achievement in Puppetry.</p><p>Barefoot Theatre Collaborative&#x27;s &quot;Bar Boys: A New Musical&quot; earned Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical, with Sheila Francisco and Juliene Mendoza taking Female and Male Featured Performance awards in a Musical.</p><p>Nicole Omillo of &quot;One More Chance, The Musical&quot; was named Female Lead Performance in a Musical, while Raven Ong won Outstanding Costume Design for &quot;Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: Ang Parokya ni Edgar Musical&quot;, which also received a Special Citation for Puppetry.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2025/7/10/gawad-buhay-awads-set-for-july-30-now-open-to-the-public-1416">READ: Gawad Buhay Awads to happen on July 30; now open to the public</a></div><p>The evening&#x27;s highest individual honor, the Natatanging Gawad Buhay, was presented to theater scholar, playwright, and critic Dr. Nicanor G. Tiongson, in recognition of his lifelong contributions to Philippine performing arts and cultural advocacy.</p><p>Now in its 15th year, Gawad Buhay continues to be the country&#x27;s most prestigious award-giving body dedicated solely to live theater, organized by Philstage, the national alliance of performing arts companies.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Here is the full list of awardees:</strong></div><ul><li>Outstanding Translation or Adaptation: Rody Vera, Chris Millado, Sabrina Basilio, Delphine Buencamino, and the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company (&#x27;Balete&#x27;)</li><li>Outstanding Book of a Musical: Juan Ekis (&#x27;Pingkian: Isang Musikal&#x27;) </li><li>Outstanding Original Score: Ejay Yatco &amp; Juan Ekis (&#x27;Pingkian: Isang Musikal&#x27;) </li><li>Outstanding Musical Direction: Ejay Yatco (&#x27;Pingkian: Isang Musikal&#x27;) </li><li>Outstanding Choreography: Delphine Buencamino (&#x27;Balete&#x27;) </li><li>Outstanding Costume Design: Raven Ong (&#x27;Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: Ang Parokya ni Edgar Musical&#x27;) </li><li>Outstanding Lighting Design: Roman Cruz (&#x27;Balete&#x27;) </li><li>Outstanding Sound Design: Fabian Obispo (&#x27;Betrayal&#x27;) </li><li>Outstanding Set Design: Wika Nadera (&#x27;Balete&#x27;) </li><li>Outstanding Projection and Video Design: GA Fallarme (&#x27;Pingkian: Isang Musikal&#x27;) </li><li>Male Lead Performance in a Play: Nonie Buencamino (&#x27;Balete&#x27;) </li><li>Female Featured Performance in a Play: Toni Go-Yadao (&#x27;Balete&#x27;) </li><li>Male Featured Performance in a Play: Marco Viaña (&#x27;Balete&#x27;) </li><li>Female Lead Performance in a Musical: Nicole Omillo (&#x27;One More Chance, The Musical&#x27;) </li><li>Male Lead Performance in a Musical: Vic Robinson (&#x27;Pingkian: Isang Musikal&#x27;) </li><li>Female Featured Performance in a Musical: Sheila Francisco (&#x27;Bar Boys: A New Musical&#x27;) </li><li>Male Featured Performance in a Musical: Juliene Mendoza (&#x27;Bar Boys: A New Musical&#x27;) </li><li>Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play: &#x27;Balete&#x27; (Tanghalang Pilipino) </li><li>Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical: &#x27;Bar Boys: A New Musical&#x27; (Barefoot Theatre Collaborative) </li><li>Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play: Chris Millado (&#x27;Balete&#x27;)</li><li>Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical: Jenny Jamora (&#x27;Pingkian: Isang Musikal&#x27;) </li><li>Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play: &#x27;Betrayal&#x27; (Repertory Philippines) </li><li>Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical: &#x27;I Love You, You&#x27;re Perfect, Now Change&#x27; (Repertory Philippines) </li><li>Outstanding Play – Original or Translation/Adaptation: &#x27;Balete&#x27; (Tanghalang Pilipino) </li><li>Outstanding Musical – Original or Translation/Adaptation: &#x27;Pingkian: Isang Musikal&#x27; (Tanghalang Pilipino)</li><li>Outstanding Production for Children: &#x27;Jepoy and the Magic Circle&#x27; (Repertory Philippines)</li><li>Special Citations for Achievement in Puppetry: &#x27;Jepoy and the Magic Circle&#x27; (Repertory Philippines); &#x27;Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: Ang Parokya ni Edgar Musical&#x27; (Full House Theater Company)</li><li>Natatanging Gawad Buhay: Dr. Nicanor G. Tiongson</li></ul>

<p>Tanghalang Pilipino emerged as the big winner at the 15th Gawad Buhay Awards, sweeping both Outstanding Play and Outstanding Musical for "Balete" and "Pingkian: Isang Musikal", respectively.</p>

Tanghalang Pilipino emerged as the big winner at the 15th Gawad Buhay Awards, sweeping both Outstanding Play and Outstanding Musical for "Balete" and "Pingkian: Isang Musikal", respectively.

Tanghalang Pilipino sweeps top honors at 15th Gawad Buhay Awards

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Tanghalang Pilipino sweeps top honors at 15th Gawad Buhay Awards

Vlad Bunoan,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 30, 2025 09:59 PM PHT

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Gawad Buhay Awards

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