The first official SANTOL!
MANILA, Philippines - Oscar. Tony. Emmy. We don’t know who these people are; but we sure as hell know what these are: awards. Every year, all of Hollywood’s constellations flock together to recognize the best performances of the past year, handing out 10-pounder golden trophies to everyone’s delight. And we ask, why not the Philippines?
Of course, we already have the Star Awards, Golden Screen and the Film Academy’s Luna, but what we lack is an award-giving body for television. A premier body that recognizes the best there is in the field of TV; an award organization that shall be the standard of world-class TV.
So we present to you the inaugural Supreme Awards for National Television’s Outstanding Leads or the SANTOL.
BEST DRAMA SERIES: Wowowee, ABS-CBN
If Willie Revillame doesn’t win Best Dramatic Actor, then at least his show should get a SANTOL trophy. The drama that unfolded over noontime TV gave primetime some serious competition, spanning from the fiasco over the dramatic President Cory funeral to that overly tense display of disgust over co-talent Jobert Sucaldito. That might’ve cost him the show, which he considers his baby, but on a positive note they win a SANTOL.
BEST COMEDY SHOW: Rubi, Kokey, Agua Bendita, Noah, and Magkaribal, ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN’s “Primetime Bida” bloc has evolved from tear-jerking soap operas to shows peppered with witty one-liners and out-of-this-world characters that just poke fun at it all. What’s an alien searching for chipeka, a cute teeny bopper with a water bag for a twin, the very gay ungas and red stilettos waging war all doing on Pinoy TV?! Comedy just does not get any better.
BEST REALITY SERIES: Face to Face, TV 5
The only barangay hall on Philippine TV aims to resolve all sorts of conflict in small villages, from an unleashed askal to an unpaid debt of two cups of rice. Tsang Amy Perez and the Trio Tagapayo provide insightful tips that can be applied to real life. Viewers also relate to the cases tackled every day.
BEST NEWSCAST: Pilipinas, Win na Win!, ABS CBN 2
Kris is Queen of All Media, project-less or not. So even though she’s gone on primetime, her noontime slot affords for her and her musings and rants the airtime they all need. Kris is a one-woman walking newscast, talking about how her driver needs to get a ticket for illegal parking and connecting the role of single mothers to the prevention of dengue and freedom from debt.
BEST VARIETY SHOW: The Working President, NBN 4
Perhaps only a portion of the population is aware of this show, and fewer still have seen it. Jolina Magdangal hosts a masturbatory show tackling the wide variety of projects and programs the ex-president has initiated. From the feeding programs in Payatas to road-widening in Apayao, this is the only variety show in the country sans the parlor games and numbers, but it still has that bandwagon effect.
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
Best Dramatic Host: Zoren Legaspi for Kitchen Battles, QTV 11
Best Single Dramatic Performance by an Actor: Rolando Mendoza for Hostage! The TV Patrol Coverage, ABS CBN 2
Breakthrough Comedy Actress of the Year: Venus Raj, Miss Universe 2010, ABS CBN 2
Sensational News Anchor of the Year: Mike Enriquez, 24 Oras, Aug. 23 Episode, GMA 7
Groundbreaking Educational TV: 101+1 Ways to Cook Corned Tuna, Sam Oh, QTV 11
