MANILA -- “Aliw, please do better.”
This was Zsa Zsa Padilla’s message for the Aliw Awards Foundation after she aired her disappointment with the way the award-giving body organized its ceremonies Monday night at the Manila Hotel.
Padilla was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, together with other personalities including Lani Misalucha, but was not able to deliver her acceptance speech.
In a lengthy two-part Instagram post, the divine diva expressed her dismay after she, together with the other honorees, was deprived of saying her thank-you’s and tributes to all the people who have been part of her illustrious career in the music industry.
“When I received word that I had been chosen as a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award, I was elated. I didn’t prepare a written speech, thinking it would be better to speak from the heart. After all, I had so much to be grateful for, having been in this industry for 42 years,” she wrote.
“However, what happened during the awarding left me shocked and deeply disappointed...
“We were handed our awards and waited for a while, assuming we would be given the opportunity to say a few words. Instead, a production staff member eventually signaled for us to step down. I turned to Lani and said, 'Wala ba man lang tayong speech?!'”
As she went back to her table together where her partner Conrad Onglao, daughter Zia Quizon and manager Nene Atilano were all seated, Padilla took off right away.
“To be dismissed so abruptly after supposedly being 'honored' was shocking and embarrassing. What was the point of being there with our families?” she wrote, adding that she will be returning the award that was given to her.
Hours after her social media post went viral, ABS-CBN News reached out to the Aliw Awards Foundation and the founder and president of the group, Alice Reyes, issued this statement.
“It is unfortunate that Zsa Zsa took her not being able to speak at the Aliw awards night as an affront to her, and I apologize to her on behalf of the foundation and the production staff. Since last year we have been trying to shorten the awards rights and we thought giving the honorees their brief time in stage would suffice.”
She continued, “I personally would have loved to hear what she had to say and if she had given me a sign or told one of my staff of her desire to say her piece I would have made an exception in her case.”
“Again, I am truly sorry for disappointing Zsa Zsa whom I admire for her beauty and talent,” said Reyes who also added, “Perhaps we can find a way to make up for it in the future.”
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