The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), under the leadership of its newly appointed chairman Jose Javier Reyes, recognized recipients of lifetime achievement awards on 19 April. Direk Joey, as he is fondly called in the industry, gave his first public media interview.

“Sinasabi ko sa lahat (I’m telling everyone), don’t congratulate me. Wish me luck because this is a big responsibility. There’s so much work to do, and please pray for me to guide me that I can do a good job with what Tirso has left me,” Joey said.

Joey mentioned that this project was initiated by former FDCP chairman Tirso Cruz III.

“Kasado na ito bago pa man bumaba si Tirso (This was arranged before Tirso even stepped down) so this is more of his project than mine,” he added. 

These accolades were presented at the “Parangal ng Sining” event held last 19 April at Seda Vertis North in Quezon City.

“The FDCP honors outstanding Filipino artists and industry pillars for contributing to the longevity of Philippine cinema and the preservation of our cultural history,” the FDCP wrote in its social media post. 

The honorees are:

Dr. Nicanor Tiongson for his tireless dedication to the study of Filipino culture, specifically in defining the shapes and traditions of the performing arts.

Dr. Clodualdo del Mundo Jr. for being a mentor and inspiration to Filipino filmmakers through his creation of classic narratives immortalized in the annals of the cinematic history.

Armando Lao for his masterful innovations in the creation of screenplays that have remained as the blueprint of contemporary Filipino films.

ABS-CBN Film Restoration Sagip Pelikula for fulfilling the task of preserving the history of Philippine cinema and enabling the classics to be savored by future generations.

Society of Filipino Archivists for Film for bringing attention to the importance of preservation of culture through film as part of the art form’s evolution and progress.

Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo for decades of hard work she invested in the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation Inc. (Mowelfund), where she served as the guiding light to other industry leaders.

Gloria Romero for being more than just a movie queen immortalized by landmark Filipino films cutting through decades of our popular culture and history.

According to FDCP, the Parangal ng Sining aims to “encourage Filipino artists, educators and film institutions to continue to achieve and work for excellence in their craft.”