The Divine Diva felt disrespected by the lack of time for the Lifetime Achievement Awardees to give their speeches.
In a two-part post on her social media accounts, OPM legend Zsazsa Padilla aired her disappointment after the incident that occurred during a ceremony by the Aliw Awards Foundation on Monday, December 15.
The ASAP mainstay shared that she was “elated” after being chosen as one of the Lifetime Achievement Awardees, alongside Lani Misalucha, Jed Madela, and Gary V, and was grateful to receive one, having been in tbe industry for 42 years.
“I wanted to honor all the producers who worked tirelessly and risked their hard-earned money to mount concerts; the directors, musical directors, musicians, writers, and production teams behind every show; all the artists I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with throughout these 42 years; and most of all, our beloved audience. I intended to keep my remarks short. Some members of my family were present that night, as always offering their love, support, and encouragement,” Padilla continued.
“However, what happened during the awarding left me shocked and deeply disappointed,” she said before narrating the incident.
According to her account of events, all Lifetime Achievement Award recipients were called onstage together: Padilla, Misalucha, and Frankie Asinero for classical music.
“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?!’ Still, we respectfully went down together,” the Divine Diva shared.
After leaving the ballroom, she was approached by a vlogger for her thoughts about receiving the recognition, which she said, “Ironically, that became the moment I delivered the acceptance speech I was never allowed to give onstage.”
“Afterward, I felt like crying. I was 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?“
In line with that, the OPM legend told the organizers of the Aliw Awards to “please do better.”
“Honor people properly. Prepare video presentations explaining why recipients are being given Lifetime Achievement Awards,” adding that it would have been interesting and meaningful to let people learn about the bodies of work of the recipients.
“Everyone else that evening was given the chance to speak after receiving their awards. In fact, a speech was even read by a representative following our segment,” added the singer.
“What was missing was sincerity,” Zsazsa emphasized. “Instead of feeling honored, I was left feeling small as I walked off that stage.”
“For that reason, I am returning the award to you. I hope you understand this gesture and take it as an opportunity to learn how to honor your recipients with the respect they deserve,” she ended her open letter.
At present, the oganizers have not yet responded to Padilla’s statements.
