OLIVIER- and Tony Award-winning artist Lea Salonga was given the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining on Friday at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati City.
Gawad CCP Para Sa Sining is the highest award given by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) to artists in the fields of dance, music, theater, film and broadcast arts, literature, visual arts, architecture, as well as allied arts and design who have had consistently produced outstanding works that enrich the development of their chosen discipline.
Salonga was recognized for her achievements as a theater artist that put the Philippines on the global theater map.
Salonga was included in international productions, among them "The King and I" (1978), "Annie" (1980), "Miss Saigon" (1989), "Les Misérables" (1993), "Aladdin" (1992) and "Mulan" (1998).
"I don't think any artist can work in a vacuum. I as an artist in this ephemeral art form, I don't work alone. I just take the trophy home and look at them. I look at the awards, and I'm incredibly grateful. But a career like mine would not be possible without a village, without a support system, without the people who are actively behind me," Salonga said in her acceptance speech.
"It is a host of musical directors, inclusive of National Artist Ryan Cayabyab, my younger brother, Gerard Salonga, so many other wonderful musicians that I've had only the greatest of privileges to work with over the years, spanning my career, 47 years and counting," Salonga added.
The 53-year-old star thanked her early mentors, including Zenaida Amador and Carmen "Baby" Barredo, co-founders of Repertory Philippines.
"To these first two mentors who are no longer with us, allow me to say thank you for starting me on path where it began, at the CCP, and the CCP has been home for quite a few productions," Salonga said.
Salonga added that her mother, Ligaya, contributed immensely to her development as an artist.
"[She] was well known in this industry as a force of nature, someone who is formidable, strong. You may call her overprotective, but given a lot of news and revelations coming out within the industry, I am thankful that she was as strict as she was and that she was as protective as she was," she said.
Salonga added the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining award embodied her continuing journey as an artist.
"And as for the future of me as an actor in this ephemeral art form. This around my neck, this award, this is wonderful to receive, but it certainly does not mean that the career ends. It only means that we must continue as artists, in truth and in discipline, to continue to create, to continue to entertain and hopefully in service of our country, be able to make everybody happy," she said.
In a post-ceremony interview, Salonga said the path of an artist is a difficult one despite the glitz and the glamour.
"It's incredible; it's a vocation, so I would actually dissuade people actively from getting into an arts career if you don't have the talent, if you don't have the drive, if you don't have the ambition, if you don't have the persistence, if you don't have the discipline. If you don't have any of that, get out. Do something else," she said.
Salonga even shared her thoughts on the possibility of being named a National Artist in the future.
"No. There are folks who are far more deserving and whose National Artist award is long overdue. I would love to see someone like Dolphy, for example. Because we have to judge him as an artist for his body of work, and he has contributed so much," she said.
"Even the movies where he's cross-dressing, it lends so much tolerance and so much acceptance from the LGBT community. Even that was not his intention at the time; that was an effect, an after-effect that I don't think he would foresee. But that's just an example of why I think he should be heralded first. So, hopefully, I'll be given the opportunity to champion him," Salonga added.
The other Gawad CCP Para sa Sining awardees were Generoso "Gener" Caringal, Jose Iñigo Homer "Joey" Ayala, Jose "Pete" Lacaba, Julie Lluch, Gino Gonzales, Oscar Yatco, Loboc Children's Choir, Marilyn Gamboa, Mario O'Hara and Miguel "Mike" de Leon.
The late Sen. Edgardo Angara and Zenaida "Nedy" Tantoco were given the Tanging Parangal ng CCP posthumously.
All awardees were chosen by the CCP Board of Trustees.