Sharon Cuneta, Apl.de.ap, Kuh Ledesma lead this year’s TOFA honorees

August 31 ------ The annual Outstanding Filipino Awards (TOFA) is gearing up for its 16th edition, set to take place at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts in Florida on Oct. 24. The awards show will be staged at 8 p.m. at the Terry Theater, capping off the two-day TOFA gathering.

My good friend, Elton Lugay, is once again behind the much-anticipated event. I’m honored to be invited again as a host of the highly celebrated award-giving body in the US that recognizes and puts the spotlight on remarkable Filipinos who excel in their respective fields, such as entertainment, public service, health care, business and community advocacy here and abroad. I have been hosting TOFA since 2015, and I always feel the same Pinoy pride whenever I’m onstage.

As the founder of TOFA, Elton talked about what to expect in the upcoming event. “TOFA 2026 continues our mission of recognizing outstanding Filipinos around the world. Organizing it each year is challenging because of the breadth and quality of nominees we receive; Filipino talent is everywhere,” he said. “After 12 years in New York, we brought TOFA to Los Angeles, Honolulu and Las Vegas. This year, we return to the East Coast in Jacksonville, which has one of the largest Filipino-American communities in Florida.”

Elton’s fervent desire to give deserving Filipinos the recognition they can proudly share with their families, colleagues and communities inspired him to establish TOFA. “We wanted to create an annual source of pride for Filipino Americans,” Elton said.

According to him, raising funds to produce the gala is the biggest challenge since he started TOFA, but it only motivates him to improve and make every year’s event more significant. “I wanted the community to have something meaningful to look forward to each year, a celebration that could serve as a home for our heritage, achievements and shared Filipino pride.”

Former White House executive chef Cristeta “Cris” Comerford will deliver the keynote address. She served five US presidents, from Bill Clinton to Joe Biden, until her retirement in 2024.

The TOFA 2026 awardees include Megastar Sharon Cuneta, Original Pilipino Music (OPM) icon Kuh Ledesma, Grammy Award-winning Black Eyed Peas member Apl.de.ap, former US ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr. and his wife, Filipina executive Mithi Aquino Thomas (jointly recognized), fashion designer and “Project Runway” winner Veejay Floresca and Filipino American singer Jenn Cuneta, whose single titled Come Rain Come Shine reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Dance Airplay chart in 2005.

Also joining this year’s TOFA honorees are Sharol Noblejas, honorary consul of the Philippines in Florida and founder and president of Jax Filipinos, Inc.; Joey Omila, a long-time Tampa Bay community leader and co-founder of PhilFest; Redner Salonga, a Jacksonville autism advocate and co-author of Bayani and the ABCs of Me; World War II veteran Remigio “Rey” Cabacar; pharmaceutical executive Alfonso “Chito” Zulueta; entrepreneur Ildeme “Demee” Mahinay Koch; dancer and choreographer Sydney Loyola; nurse leaders Dr. Agustin Guido III, Dr. Romeo Devera, Carol Manilay-Robles and Job Marconi Mascardo; social work leaders Dr. John Paul Abenojar and Melvin Joseph Dizon; and children’s author Mona Liza Santos.

Adding spectacle to the entire gathering are special performances by the Philippine Performing Arts Company of Tampa, Parangal Dance Company of the San Francisco Bay Area, Starlink Artists of Los Angeles and TOFA performers from New York.

I asked Elton what he loves most about working on and being the founder of TOFA. His reply was, “I love meeting remarkable people and sharing their inspiring stories with the world. TOFA helps show that Filipinos are not defined by one profession — we are public servants, educators, artists, entrepreneurs, entertainers and leaders in many fields.”

He looks forward to the next five years and plans to accomplish many things for the global award-giving body. “In five years, we hope to honor once again the 100 Most Influential Filipinos in the World, as we did during the pandemic in 2020 and for TOFA’s 15th anniversary in Las Vegas,” Elton said. “We also want to recognize more deserving Filipinos who may be quietly doing important work in their fields and communities.”

Source: philstar.com