Here Are All the Winners at The Gawad Buhay Awards 2025

Tanghalang Pilipino wins big at local theater's biggest night.

Published on Aug 1, 2025

(SPOT.ph) Curtains up for the winners!

The Gawad Buhay Awards just revealed the latest set of winners for its 15th run, spotlighting the brightest stars, most show-stopping performances, and standout productions in Philippine theater.

Whether you're a seasoned theater goer with your bets and biases or a casual fan learning the who's who of the scene, it's time to recognize the thespians and productions that made the 2024 theater season one for the books. But before we namedrop this year's big winners—what exactly are the Gawad Buhay Awards?

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What are the Gawad Buhay Awards?

The Gawad Buhay, or more formally known as the Philstage Awards for the Performing Arts, is one of the country's most prestigious awards in the performing arts. Think of it as Broadway's Tony Awards or the West End's Olivier Awards, but make it Filipino.

Started in 2008, it's the first-ever theater industry awards for professional theater companies. It recognizes both individual and group achievements in various artistic and technical aspects of play, musical, and dance production.

To be considered for the Gawad Buhay Awards, your production must be mounted by member companies of the Philippine Legitimate Stage Artists Group Inc. (Philstage). Current members of Philstage include the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), Repertory Philippines, 9 Works Theatrical, The Sandbox Collective, The Necessary Theatre, Alice Reyes Dance Philippines, Ballet Manila, Barefoot Theatre Collaborative, Culturtain Musicat Productions, Full House Theater Company, Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), Philippine Opera Company, Repertory Philippines, Stages, Theater Titas, Tanghalang Pilipino, Trumpets, and Twin Bill Theater.

The awards cover an entire theater season. Specifically for this run, it covered shows from January 2024 to December 2024. The winners are chosen by an independent jury of journalists, critics, theater insiders, and academics who weigh in on everything from citations to final votes. These jurors have to watch all productions from Philstage member-companies to be able to provide citations per quarter.

The big winners of the 15th Gawad Buhay Awards:

This year’s roster of winners includes 11 first-time Gawad Buhay awardees—some of whom were also first-time nominees.

Tanghalang Pilipino dominated the night, sweeping 17 out of 26 competitive awards. The wins were split between two of their standout productions: Balete, which brought home 10 awards, and Pingkian: Isang Musical.

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A scene from Balete by Tanghalang Pilipino. Photo from Facebook/Tanghalang Pilipino..

Among its many honors, Balete—inspired by National Artist F. Sionil José’s novel Tree and autobiography Promdi—earned the top citation for Outstanding Play. Not to be outshined, Pingkian took home the coveted award for Outstanding Musical, capping off a stellar season for Tanghalang Pilipino.

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Tanghalang Pilipino's Balete bagged the most awards at the recently held Gawad Buhay Awards. Photo from Facebook/ Tanghalang Pilipino..

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Another big winner from Tanghalang Pilipino is Pingkian: Isang Musical which bagged a total of 7 awards. Facebook/ Tanghalang Pilipino..

Beyond the production wins, individual contributors were also recognized. Jenny Jamora earned her second Gawad Buhay for Outstanding Stage Direction for Pingkian, while Ejay Yatco picked up his second win for Outstanding Musical Direction, which he shares with co-musical director Juan Ekis.

Other notable winners include Repertory Philippines’ I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change and Jepoy and the Magic Circle, Nicole Omillo for One More Chance, The Musical (PETA), Sheila Francisco and Juliene Mendoza for Bar Boys: A New Musical (Barefoot Theatre Collective), and Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: Ang Parokya ni Edgar Musical by Full House Theater Company.

All awards were handed out during the Gawad Buhay Awards Night held on July 30 at the Aliw Theater, with Phi Palmos and Reb Atadero serving as hosts for the evening.

Here are all the winners of the 2025 Gawad Buhay Awards:

Outstanding Translation or Adaptation: Rody Vera, Chris Millado, Sabrina Basilio, Delphine Buencamino, and the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company (‘Balete’)

Outstanding Book of a Musical: Juan Ekis (‘Pingkian: Isang Musikal’)

Outstanding Original Score: Ejay Yatco & Juan Ekis (‘Pingkian: Isang Musikal’)

Outstanding Musical Direction: Ejay Yatco (‘Pingkian: Isang Musikal’)

Outstanding Choreography: Delphine Buencamino (‘Balete’)

Outstanding Costume Design: Raven Ong (‘Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: Ang Parokya ni Edgar Musical’)

Outstanding Lighting Design: Roman Cruz (‘Balete’)

Outstanding Sound Design: Fabian Obispo (‘Betrayal’)

Outstanding Set Design: Wika Nadera (‘Balete’)

Outstanding Projection and Video Design: GA Fallarme (‘Pingkian: Isang Musikal’)

Male Lead Performance in a Play: Nonie Buencamino (‘Balete’)

Female Featured Performance in a Play: Toni Go-Yadao (‘Balete’)

Male Featured Performance in a Play: Marco Viaña (‘Balete’)

Female Lead Performance in a Musical: Nicole Omillo (‘One More Chance, The Musical’)

Male Lead Performance in a Musical: Vic Robinson (‘Pingkian: Isang Musikal’)

Female Featured Performance in a Musical: Sheila Francisco (‘Bar Boys: A New Musical’)

Male Featured Performance in a Musical: Juliene Mendoza (‘Bar Boys: A New Musical’)

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play: ’Balete’ (Tanghalang Pilipino)

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical: ’Bar Boys: A New Musical’ (Barefoot Theatre Collaborative)

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play: Chris Millado (‘Balete’)

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical: Jenny Jamora (‘Pingkian: Isang Musikal’)

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play: ’Betrayal’ (Repertory Philippines)

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical: ’I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change’ (Repertory Philippines)

Outstanding Play—Original or Translation/Adaptation: ’Balete’ (Tanghalang Pilipino)

Outstanding Musical—Original or Translation/Adaptation: ’Pingkian: Isang Musikal’ (Tanghalang Pilipino)

Outstanding Production for Children: ’Jepoy and the Magic Circle’ (Repertory Philippines)

Special Citations for Achievement in Puppetry: ’Jepoy and the Magic Circle’ (Repertory Philippines); ‘Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: Ang Parokya ni Edgar Musical’ (Full House Theater Company)

Natatanging Gawad Buhay!: Dr. Nicanor G. Tiongson

For more information, visit Philstage's Facebook page.

Leana is Spot's go-to for Arts & Culture and Things to Do. On any given day, she’s either glued to her screen—or gliding underwater like the mermaid she swears she is. Contact: leana@spot.ph

Here Are All the Winners at The Gawad Buhay Awards 2025

What are the Gawad Buhay Awards?

The big winners of the 15th Gawad Buhay Awards:

Here are all the winners of the 2025 Gawad Buhay Awards:

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