Lea won a tight contest over contenders Gary Valenciano, a two-time Entertainer of the Year, Ogie Alcasid, last year’s Entertainer of the Year, Regine Velasquez, Ai-Ai de las Alas, and Willie Nepomuceno, all Aliw awardees.
Other winners are: Best Dance Group (Modern) Animé, (Classical Contemporary) Philippine Ballet Theater; Best Stand-Up Comedy Act (Female) Ai-Ai de las Alas, (Male) Willie Nepomuceno; Most Promising Entertainer (Female) Sarah Geronimo, (Male) Jay R;
Best Instrumental Artist Raul Sunico; Best New Artist (Female) Karel Marquez, (Male) Eric Santos; Best Performer in Hotels, Music Lounges and Bars (Female) Nina, (Male) Nyoy Volante, (Group) Spirit of ’67;
Best Major Concert (Female), Lea Salonga–Songs from Home, (Male) Ogie Alcasid–OA at 15, (Collaboration) Rico Puno, Nonoy Zuñiga, Rey Valera, Hajii Alejandro, Marco Sison–Greatest Hits; Best Performance in a Concert (Female) Regine Velasquez, (Male) Gary Valenciano, (Group) Akafellas, (Collaboration) Kuh Ledesma, Jimmy Bondoc, Paolo Santos Night of Acoustic;
Best Musical Director Raul Mitra–The Songbird and the Songwriter; Best Concert Stage Director Bobby Garcia — Songs from Home; Best Choral Group Loboc Children’s Choir; Best Emcee Paolo Bediones; Best Stage Director Soxy Topacio; Best Non-Musical Play Production Agnoia; Best Musical Play Production Ambon … Ulan… Baha…; Best Stage Actress (Musical) May Bayot–Himala, (Non-Musical) Ama Quiambao–Casa De Bernarda Alba; Best Stage Actor (Musical) Franco Laurel–Honk, The Ugly Duckling (Non-Musical) Joel Lamangan, Ice Man Cometh, and Best Classical Performer (Female) Alegria Ferrer, (Male) Jonathan Badon.
The show was produced by Ultimate Entertainment and directed by Ronnie Henares. Major sponsors of the Awards presentation are Philippine Airlines, Ford Philippines; media partners are Manila Bulletin, Manila Times and Philippine Journalist Inc.
Taped as live, The awards night will be aired on RPN 9 tonight from 9 to 12 midnight.