Atty. Dennis Gorecho
Ties for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor awards in Cinemalaya 2026
The battle for the acting citations during the 22nd Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival ended in a tie between Marietta “Pokwang” Subong (2 Valid IDs) and Ruby Ruiz of (Status: Rejected) for the Best Actress award while Lucas Andalio (Mag-Iina) and K.D. Omalin (Hand Of God) shared the Best Supporting Actor award .
The comedy-drama “Status: Rejected” follows Virginia “Biring” Divinagracia (played by Ruiz), a 69-year-old woman whose dream of moving to the United States is repeatedly shattered by five straight U.S. visa rejections, leading her to seek human connection and love online.
The film “2 VALID IDs” stars “Pokwang” as Sylvia, a provincial farmer who must obtain the two valid IDs needed to claim remittance of a financial assistance for her hospitalized husband’s treatment.
Ruiz was cited for “an absolute masterclass in screen acting; for her pitch-perfect balance of mischievous spunk and delicate melancholy; for making herself a deeply human center of Pinay folly and absurdity; for making complex, heavy emotional scenes look entirely effortless; and for grounding a quirky online romance in the quiet, heartbreaking vulnerability of an aging woman yearning for love and companionship.”
Pokwang was cited for “a deeply transformative and devastating performance; for courageously shedding her comedic roots to deliver a riveting, grounded portrayal; and for her touching emotional control, impressively encapsulating in her portrayal the raw frustration, quiet dignity.”
Ruiz’s latest victory marks her fourth Balanghai trophy , cementing her place in the festival’s history with the most number of acting citations: two Best actress for ‘Iska’ (2019) and “Status: Rejected” (2026) while two Best Supporting Actress for ‘Ekstra’ (2013) and “Ginhawa’ (2022).
She officially surpassed the longtime acting record previously held by the late Eddie Garcia. He won Best Actor thrice for ICU Bed#7 (2005 ), Bwakaw (2012), and ML (2018)
In Mag-iina (2026), Andalio plays Ynigo as strange adopted son in the Abreu family. The film follows Anj (Janine Gutierrez) as she returns to her ancestral home days before the 40th day after her father’s death. She reunites with three generations of women in her family, mother Mita (Agot Isidro), aunt Ysobel (Cherry Pie Picache) and matriarch Angela (Jackie Lou Blanco) who are trapped in grief and madness, uncovering long-buried “dark forces.”
In “Hand of God” (2026), Omalin portrays 10-year-old Khaleel, a child soldier of a violent terrorist group in Basilan. The war drama follows a military lieutenant (Ruru Madrid) who uses sports, specifically football, as a means of intervention and a chance at a different path away from war.
The young Andalio was cited for “taking on a most complex role; for seamlessly navigating through intense, grotesque character shifts alongside seasoned co-stars; for instantly owning the screen, holding his own among an elite cast to pull off a jarring, grotesque transformation from innocent child to dark force that remains crucial to the film’s impact; and for an astonishingly mature performance for someone so young.”
The equally young Omalin was cited for “a deeply moving performance and extraordinary screen presence, for fully capturing the spirit of a young boy torn between conflict and hope, and for effectively rendering the sensibility of a Mindanao child soldier whose life transforms as he discovers a love and talent for football, giving powerful life to a dream of escaping violence for a brighter future.”
Andalio is just 8 years old, making him the youngest to receive the best supporting actor award.
The youngest winner of best actor award was Noel Comia Jr. for Kiko Boksingero (2017) when he was then 13 years old, followed by 15-year-olds Jansen Magpusao for John Denver Trending (2019), Enzo Osorio for The Hearing (2024), and Nathan Lopez was 13 with Special Citation (for acting performance) for Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (2005).
The films that received Balanghai trophies in the full length category include :
“Mag-iina” with Best Film, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor for Andalio , Best Screenplay, Best Production Design, and Best Original Musical Scoring.
“Tayo Lang Ang Nakakaalam” with Best Actor for Martin del Rosario; Best Ensemble Performance for del Rosario, Miguel Ordon, Yayo Aguila, Epy Quizon; Best Cinematography; Best Sound Design.
“Status: Rejected” with Best Actress for Ruiz and NETPAC Award.
“2 Valid IDs” with Best Actress for Pokwang, Special Jury Prize and Audience Choice Award
“A.ni.mál” with Best Supporting Actress for Bituin Escalante and Best Editing.
“Hand of God” with Best Supporting Actor for Omalin.
The winners In the short films category include Silkscreen as Best Short Film ; Gabriela Serrano for (Elenita Elena Elaine as Best Director: Para-paraan for Special Jury Prize; Runo! for Best Screenplay; Hoy Hoy, Ingat! for Audience Choice Award; The River Flows in Different Places for NETPAC Award.
( Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the Seafarers’ Division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 0908-8665786.)
