Aliw Awards apologizes after denying Zsa Zsa Padilla chance to deliver acceptance speech

The Lifetime Achievement Award recipient gives suggestions on how Aliw Awards can truly celebrate their awardees after returning her trophy.

Zsa Zsa Padilla told the Aliw Awards Foundation to “do better” after she was denied the chance to deliver a speech as a recipient of one of the night’s highest honors. The incident prompted her to return the award and led to a public apology from the organization’s president, Alice H. Reyes (not to be confused with Alice G. Reyes, National Artist for Dance).

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Dec. 16, Padilla recalled being “elated” for being among the recipients of a Lifetime Achievement Award alongside Lani Misalucha, Frankie Asinero, Arturo Luis Pio, Gary Valenciano, and Jed Madela.

She was under the impression that they’re expected to deliver a written speech.

“I didn’t prepare a written speech, thinking it would be better to speak from the heart,” she wrote. “After all, I had so much to be grateful for, having been in this industry for 42 years.”

Asked to step down from the stage

Padilla enumerated a list of people she intended to honor in her would-be speech, including producers, directors, musical directors, musicians, writers, production teams, collaborating artists, and her fans.

“I intended to keep my remarks short,” she said. “Some members of my family were present that night, as always offering their love, support, and encouragement.”

But alas, there was no speech at all, leaving her “shocked and deeply disappointed.”

In another Facebook post, Padilla said all Lifetime Achievement Award recipients were called onstage together, though it was only her, Misalucha, and Asinero who were present.

“We were handed our awards and waited for a while, assuming we would be given the opportunity to say a few words,” she said. “Instead, a production staff member eventually signaled for us to step down. I turned to Lani and said, ‘Wala ba man lang tayong speech?!’ Still, we respectfully went down together.”

Padilla then exited the ballroom when a vlogger interviewed her about the award.

“Shocking and embarrassing”

“Ironically, that became the moment I delivered the acceptance speech I was never allowed to give onstage,” she said.

According to Padilla, she felt like crying after that interview, “still dumbfounded by how the awarding was handled.”

“To be dismissed so abruptly after supposedly being ‘honored’ was shocking and embarrassing. What was the point of being there with our families?” she said, telling the award-giving body to “please do better.”