UE Prof-Filmmaker Bags Gawad Dr. Pio Valenzuela

Wazzup Pilipinas!

University of the East College of Fine Arts, Architecture and Design professor and filmmaker Richard Soriano Legaspi was recently awarded the Gawad Dr. Pio Valenzuela for film by the City Government of Valenzuela in commemoration of its local hero’s 150th birth anniversary.

The award is the highest and most prestigious recognition conferred by the local government to Valenzuela City residents who have excelled in their respective fields, made significant contributions to the welfare of the city and lived true to the values of the late Dr. Valenzuela.

Legaspi completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts major in Advertising Arts at UE Caloocan. He is a two-time Gawad CCP awardee, recipient of the Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature in 2012 for his screenplay “Primera Bella,” Cinemalaya winner for his short film “Manenaya,” recipient of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts grant in 2009 (“Kinulayang Kiti”) and 2012 (“Pipo”), and Cinema One Originals winner for “Paano Ko Sasabihin?” in 2009, among others.

He is a graduate of Ricky Lee’s 14th scriptwriting workshop, directing fellow at the Asian Film Academy in Busan, South Korea, and recipient of the UNESCO Laureate artist recognition in 2013, eventually becoming a resident artist of the Università delle Idee in Italy. 

Legaspi was also invited by the Taoyuan Cultural Department in Taiwan to Sianguang 2nd Village to work on his socially engaged art projects.

He won the Silver Prize for moving images at the International Photography Awards in 2017 and was honored by the Film Development Council of the Philippines on the same year as one of its Film Ambassadors for winning in Kingston, Jamaica.

Legaspi, who hails from Barangay Maysan, acknowledged the big role played by the city in his works. “Halos lahat ng munting pelikula ko at iba pang mga likhang-sining ay bunga ng mga kuwento mula sa mga pabrika, mga pamahiin, pagtakbo sa sementeryo dahil may shooting, panghuhuli ng tilapia sa Tagalag, pagtawid-sakay ng bangka mula Arkong Bato hanggang Isla, pamimitas ng makopa sa Mabolo, panghuhuli ng isdang kataba, tagu-taguan sa Paransilyo at praktis ng dula-dulaan sa Poblacion,” the proud Valenzuelano said in his acceptance speech.

The other awardees are ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) political correspondent Christian Esguerra (journalism), Our Lady of Fatima University and Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities president Dr. Caroline Marian Enriquez (education), De La Salle University-Manila Filipino Department chair Dr. Ernesto Carandang II (literature), One Valenzuela blogger Rochelle Silverio (social media), Department of Education Undersecretary for Finance Annalyn Sevilla (government service), and Dr. Elpidio Serapio (community service), posthumous.

The 2019 Gawad Dr. Pio Valenzuela search committee is composed of historian Ambeth Ocampo as chair and Atty. Arnel Banas, Senate Deputy Secretary General for Administration and Finance; Dr. Nedy Torralba, president of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela; Dr. Benjie Samson, Deped Valenzuela assistant superintendent; Ateneo School of Government Prof. Edgardo T. Valenzuela, Valenzuela City cultural officer Jonathan Balsamo, curator Michael King Urieta, and Atty. Librado Valenzuela, president of Museo Valenzuela Foundation, as members.

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