First Filipino-American Visionary Awards a resounding success

Dinno Erece
Thursday, March 13, 2008
07:49 AM

From all accounts, the first annual Filipino-American Visionary Awards was a big and resounding success.

The word "successful" was repeated several times sa lahat ng mga natanggap na eyewitness accounts ng PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) sa ginawang first Filipino-American Visionary Awards last March 7 sa Kodak Theater sa Los Angeles, California.

Sa advanced press release pa lang sa mga US-based publications and websites, tinatayang ang Visionary Awards na ang pinakamalaking gathering of Filipino and Fil-Am celebrities in one event sa U.S. na production ng NuVision Worldwide Media LLC in cooperation with Creative Concepts International and TDRZ Productions. Tickets were priced from 250 U.S. dollars to 55 U.S. dollars and all 6,000 seats were reportedly sold out.

Hollywood's best ang nasa likod ng production headed by director/producer Douglas Velasco, five-time Emmy-award winning writer Craig Heller, art director/set designer Scott Heinemann (Art Directors Guild Award winner), and primetime Emmy Award lighting designer Jeff Ravitz.

The first list of awardees include TV actress/singer Nia Peeples; actor/martial arts expert Mark Dacascos; legendary actor-comedian Dolphy; Dante Basco of The Debut; actor/ choreographer Cris Judd; action star and senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr.; Black Eyed Peas founding member Apl.de.ap; television variety show hosts Tito, Vic & Joey; film and TV actors Richard Gutierrez and Rudy Fernandez; King of Filipino rap music Francis Magalona; award-winning news anchor Mike Enriquez; world champion surfer Sunny Garcia; and star cager and former Senator Robert Jaworski.

Binigyan din ng special awards ang dalawang pinakamalaking TV network sa Philippines—ang ABS-CBN for Global Media Pioneer Award at GMA-7 with Award of Excellence in Television Programming.

Naglalakihan din ang mga presenters including Philippine Concert King and Visionary Entertainer of the Year Martin Nievera; pop diva Ms. Kuh Ledesma; Visionary Rising Star awardee Anna Maria Perez de Tagle of the hit TV show Hannah Montana; Jessa Zaragoza; the cast of Fever the Musical featuring TV host/actress Ciara Sotto; American Idol finalist Jasmine Trias; European singing/dancing sensation Billy Crawford.

The list doesn't end there dahil presenters din ang Superstar na si Nora Aunor; Miss America 2001 Angela Perez Baraquio; actor Michael Copon of One Tree Hill and upcoming feature film The Scorpion King: Rise of the Azzadian; Reggie Lee of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End and the upcoming Tropic Thunder; singer Jennifer Paz of Miss Saigon and Evita; youtube.com star Christine Gambito; Movin' 93.9 radio DJ Icy Ice; jazz and world music singer Charmaine Clamor; actress/model/TV host Giselle Tongi; Liz Masakayan na UCLA Hall of Fame Inductee and 1988 Olympian part of USA Volleyball Team; actor/singer Raymond Bagatsing; Esperanza Catubig of Without a Trace and The Vagina Monologues; veteran actresses Lilia Dizon, Pinky de Leon and Lani Mercado; and local news anchors Jean Marteriz and Bob de Castro from Fox 11 News.

Sina Dingdong Avanzado and now-US based and Kababayan LC host/producer Janelle So ang nag-host ng show.

Later on, nakatanggap din kami ng post-event news from Jessa Zaragoza on how proud everyone was to be part of this first of its kind event.

Red carpet daw ang proceeding and everyone were impressed that the event was staged at the same venue where Hollywood's Oscar Awards and the finals of American Idol are being staged.

Some Americans thought it was a Hollywood event dahil nagsidatingan nga ang ilang Fil-Am stars na kilala rin sa Hollywood.

7 p.mm nagsimula ang show and afterwards, several post-parties were held around the area.