Vice Ganda, Donny Pangilinan, John Arcilla among awardees at SPEEd’s The Eddys

June 15 ------ For the ninth edition of the Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors’ (SPEEd) The Eddys, veteran actors John Arcilla, Edgar Mortiz, Rio Locsin and Janice de Belen will receive the 2026 Movie Icon Award for their “enduring commitment to their craft and their contributions to raising the standard of Filipino films.”

The awards ceremony will be held on July 5 at the Ceremonial Hall of Newport World Resorts in Pasay City. On the other hand, the recipients of the Isah V. Red Award are corporate leader and philanthropist Chaye Cabal Revilla and actor Donny Pangilinan. According to the media release, they are recognized for “inspiring and assisting fellow Filipinos through meaningful initiatives.”

Revilla, executive director and chief finance, risk and sustainability officer of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, is also the founding chair of Gabay Guro, one of the country’s largest and longest-running education advocacy programs for teachers. Gabay Guro is a flagship initiative of the PLDT-Smart Foundation, through which Revilla has inspired numerous showbiz personalities to support and participate in the advocacy program.

Pangilinan is given the recognition after offering diesel discounts at his family-owned gas station in Cavite during the oil crisis in March. The initiative “helped motorists cope with rising fuel prices amid global supply disruptions.” Meanwhile, director and songwriter Joven Tan will be presented with the Joe Quirino Award, while television reporter Lhar Santiago will be honored with the Manny Pichel Award.

After starting in entertainment journalism, Tan found success in filmmaking and has since helmed several movies, while Santiago was recognized for his “decades-long contribution to entertainment journalism.” The latter previously served as editor of the tabloid Masa in the 1980s and also wrote an entertainment column for The Manila Times. Vice Ganda will also be honored with the Box Office Heroes Award for “Call Me Mother,” which grossed P392 million.

Ahead of the announcement of the nominees, SPEEd rigorously evaluated and deliberated on this year’s selections at the Luxent Hotel in Quezon City, the official screening venue partner of The Eddys. “The Eddys has always been about honoring the people whose passion and dedication have helped shape Philippine cinema. This year’s Movie Icon Award recipients have spent decades bringing memorable stories and characters to life,” SPEEd president Tessa Mauricio-Arriola remarked. “Our special awardees, on the other hand, have made meaningful contributions both within and beyond the entertainment industry. Through these recognitions, we celebrate excellence, service and the enduring impact of individuals who continue to inspire Filipinos,” she added.

Aside from the special citations, The Eddys will present 14 acting and technical awards selected from films screened in cinemas and on digital platforms during the eligibility period, the organization said. Held annually, The Eddys “recognizes the achievements and contributions of filmmakers, actors, writers, directors and producers in the Philippine film industry.”

Last year, “Green Bones” garnered the most awards at the 8th Eddy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Zig Dulay, Best Actor for Dennis Trillo and Best Supporting Actor for Ruru Madrid, among others. Aga Muhlach shared the Best Supporting Actor award with Madrid for his role in “Uninvited.”

Marian Rivera was named Best Actress for her performance in “Balota,” while Lorna Tolentino was declared Best Supporting Actress for “Espantaho.” Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto (“Un/happy For You”), Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards (“Hello, Love, Again”) and Vice Ganda (“And The Breadwinner Is…”) took home the Box Office Hero award. Established in 2015, SPEEd is a nonprofit organization composed of entertainment editors from national broadsheets, leading tabloids and major online news portals.

Source: philstar.com