Lea Salonga and Erik Santos Among Aliw Award Recipients

Aliw Awards Foundation, Inc. departed from its usual practice of over 4 decades by selecting both a Female and Male Entertainer of the Year this year.

Lea Salonga. who won the title in 2004 and 2016 received the Entertainer of the Year Applause trophy for the third time , making her eligible to be installed in the Aliw Hall of Fame. She got her Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.

Erik Santos, capping a year of successful concerts and TV judging and appearances, won his first Entertainer of the Year award.

To qualify for the Entertainer of the Year award, both Lea and Erik had to win at least one category, which they did: the Major Concert category, Female and Male.

Other winners and their categories were:

BEST CHILD PERFORMER
Kris Robles (Cinderella/Kids' Acts Philippines)

BEST NEW ARTIST (FEMALE)
Janah Zaplan

BEST NEW ARTIST (MALE)
Shanti Dope

BEST NEW ARTIST (Group)
Ben N Ben

BEST CULTURAL DANCE GROUP
Tribu Panayanon (Iloilo City)

BEST CLASSICAL DANCE COMPANY
Ballet Philippines
Junior Halili Dance Company

BEST CULTURAL/THEATER GROUP
Uyat Artista (Angeles City, Pampanga)

BEST CHORAL GROUP
Capiz State University Main Chorale (Roxas City)

BEST FESTIVAL CATALYST/ORGANIZER
Mayor Mildred Joy Que (Karatong Festival/Dulag, Leyte)

BEST FESTIVAL PRACTICES and PERFORMANCE
Fiesta Republika (Malolos Bulacan)

BEST INSTRUMENTALIST
Noli Aurillo (Guitar)

BEST DJ for Electronic Dance Music
Jennifer Lee

BEST FEMALE HOST
Cherry Maning

BEST MALE HOST
RJ Ledesma

BEST CLASSICAL DANCER
Nicole Barroso (Ballet Manila)

BEST STAND-UP COMEDIAN/HOST FOR COMEDY BARS
Boobay

BEST SPECIAL EVENTS DIRECTOR
Rodel Mercado (Michaela Fashion Revolution/Robinsons Manila)

BEST SPECIAL EVENTS/PRODUCT LAUNCH
Gabay Guro PLDT (MOA Arena)

BEST CLASSICAL PERFORMER (FEMALE)
Jade Riccio

BEST CLASSICAL PERFORMER (MALE)
Jon Joven Uy

BEST CROSSOVER PERFORMER (MALE)
Arman Ferrer

BEST CROSSOVER PERFORMER (FEMALE)
Lara Maigue

BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN
Cinderella (Kids' Acts Philippines)

BEST NON-MUSICAL PRODUCTION
M.. Butterfly (Frontrow Entertainment/Jhett Tolentino)

BEST ORIGINAL MUSICAL PRODUCTION

Supremo Redux (Philippine Stagers Foundation)

Binondo, A Tsinoy Musical (Rebecca Chuaunsu Production/Synergy 88 Digital)

BEST DANCE PRODUCTION
Iconic 2 (Ballet Manila)

BEST STAGE DIRECTOR (NON-MUSICAL)
Kanakan Balintagos (M.Butterfly/Frontrow Entertainment)

BEST STAGE DIRECTOR (MUSICAL)
Joel Lamangan (Binondo, A Tsinoy Musical/Rebecca Chuaunsu Production)

Luigi Nacario (Cinderella/Kid's Acts Philippines)

BEST ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE (MUSICAL)

Dulce (Nasaan si Hesus/ Buhay Isang Awit Foundation)

BEST ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE (NON-MUSICAL)
Missy MaraMara (Kundiman Party/Dulaang UP)

BEST ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE (MUSICAL)
Norman Penaflorida (Geegee at Waterina/Artist Playground)

Patrick Libao (Supremo Redux/Philippine Stagers Foundation)

BEST ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE (NON MUSICAL)
Vance Larena (Dilaw o Pula/Philippine Stagers Foundation)

BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
Ensemble Cast of Binondo, A Tsinoy Musical (Rebecca Chuaunsu /Synergy 88)

BEST NEW CONCEPT PRODUCTION
Hanggang sa Dulo ng Forever (CLDCAS Jocson College)

BEST PERFORMER in a NEW CONCEPT PRODUCTION
Banaue Miclat-Janssen (Ginugunita Kita 2018/Maningning Miclat Foundation)

BEST DIRECTOR IN NEW CONCEPT PRODUCTION
Jayson Gantan Pabalan (Hanggang sa Dulo ng Forever/CLDCAS Jocson College)

BEST ACTOR (NON-MUSICAL)

RS Francisco (M.Butterfly/Frontrow Entertainment/Jhett Tolentino)

BEST ACTRESS (NON MUSICAL)
Skyzx Labastilla (Ang Dalagita'y 'Sang Bagay na 'Di-Buo/Dulaang UP)

BEST ACTOR (MUSICAL)
Roeder Camanag (Geegee at Waterina/Artist Playground)

David Ezra (Binondo, A Tsinoy Musical/Rebecca Chuaunsu/Synergy88)

BEST ACTRESS (MUSICAL)
Tanya Manalang (All Out of Love/Resorts World)

Carla Guevarra- Laforteza (Binondo, A Tsinoy Musical/Rebecca Chuaunsu /Synergy 88)

BEST CONCERT STAGE DIRECTOR
Floy Quintos (Madly Filipiniana/Pinoy Playlist)

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Jesse Lucas (Geegee at Waterina/ Artist Playground)

BEST COMPOSER FOR ORIGINAL MUSICAL THEATER
Von de Guzman (Binondo/Tsinoy Musical)

BEST PERFORMER IN HOTEL, MUSIC LOUNGES AND BARS
Jean Kiley (CenterplayCity of Dreams)

BEST PERFORMER IN HOTEL, MUSIC LOUNGES AND BARS (GROUP)
Silk (Centerplay/City of Dreams)

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A CONCERT (MALE)
Ruben Laurente (PPP Trip ni Bentot/Maybank Performing Center)

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A CONCERT (FEMALE)
Dulce (Saturday Special/Hipodrome/Winford Hotel)

BEST COLLABORATION IN A CONCERT
Lani Misalucha/Morissette Amon (A Lani Morissette Musical Journey/ Solaire)

BEST MAJOR CONCERT (GROUP)
4th Impact (Invasion/Kia Theater)

BEST MAJOR CONCERT (MALE)
Erik Santos (My Greatest Moments/MOA Arena)

BEST MAJOR CONCERT (FEMALE)
Lea Salonga (40th Anniversary Concert/PICC)

Elevated to the Hall of Fame were Bambanti Festival of Isabela, Merjohn Lagaya. Draybers, Al Gatmaitan and Noel Comia Jr.

Lifetime Achievement Awardees were Lisa Macuja Elizalde, Carlito Pocholo Malilin, Jun Regalado and Rey Valera.

Special awardees were QC Vice-Mayor Joy Belmonte, Pablo Tariman, Jose Toots Tolentino, Anie M. Calleja, NCCA/ Shirley Halili Cruz' Dance Xchange, Madly Filipiniana and Tanghalang Sta. Ana.

Imelda Papin was this year's Alice H. Reyes Achievement Awardee, an award previously won by Persida Acosta of PAO. former Congressman Amado Bagatsing, Jose Mari Chan and Cong. Vilma Santos Recto.

Mayor Herbert M. Bautista was honored for launching the Herbert M. Bautista Welfare Fund for Live Entertainers in need.

The daughter of the late Rico J.Puno, Tosca, received the AAFI Posthumous Award for her father, Aliw Entertainer of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awardee.