MANILA, Philippines - As if in keeping with the independent spirit of the Urian Awards on Wednesday, last year's Best Actor, Rustom Padilla, stunned the audience by turning up in drag.

"I thought it was fitting to introduce tonight Gandanghari, a new character I am conceptualizing," Padilla told Inquirer Entertainment.

Gandanghari, said Padilla, will be the star of a one-person show he is mounting in February 2009. "She's like a slender Doña Buding."

He noted, "My outfit is by Criselda Lontok, hair and makeup by Eric Maningat."

Padilla's surprise appearance prompted Best Actress Cherry Pie Picache ("Foster Child") to quip, "Kinabog ako ni Rustom! (Rustom upstaged me!)"

Picache's levity best summed up the mood at the 31st Urian Awards, held at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater) of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Actually, she didn't mind being overshadowed because she was ecstatic enough about her "double victory." Apart for her own trophy, she was also happy about the Best Cinematography win of Gary Tria ("Tirador"), father of her son, Anton.

"We now have his-and-hers trophies," she said. "Our son would be so proud."

Tria wasn't around. "He found out that he was nominated only this afternoon and he had a previously set tennis match," she explained.

"Selda" co-stars Sid Lucero and Emilio Garcia, Best Actor and Supporting Actor, respectively, sounded equally delighted about their Urian.

"I'm now complete," Garcia said, adding that he didn't think of awards while doing "Selda," which entailed a lot of sacrifices for him. "When we attended the Montreal film fest, [director] Paolo [Villaluna] and I shared one eggplant for dinner once because we had no money."

That he received his trophy from his dad and last year's Best Actor Mark Gil (who tied with Padilla) made Lucero's night more memorable.

Lucero recalled: "When my dad won his first Urian (in 1982), I was just a baby. Then, last year, we were nominated in the same category. My dad told me that the Urian is one of the more important awards. I can die now."

Lucero's Best Actor co-winner Jason Abalos (for "Endo") never imagined he would win an Urian-especially since he didn't top the ABS-CBN talent search "Star Circle Quest" three years ago.

"This is like earning a medal in school," he said. "I know how difficult it is to please the critics; that's why this award is important to me."

He also won a Young Critics' Circle award for his work in the same movie.

Best Director and Best Film winner Dante Mendoza ("Tirador"), who is currently in Pusan, South Korea, told the Inquirer via SMS: "I am extremely honored. I thought it wouldn't be recognized in the country because of its theme and style."

He is proud of his cast, he said-particularly, Best Supporting Actress Angela Ruiz, a virtual unknown who played a toothless shoplifter who lost her dentures in Quiapo's sewers.

Ruiz couldn't receive her award in person because she's in Singapore, said Mendoza.

Other winners

Sound: Ditoy Aguila and Junel Valencia, "Tirador"; Music: Francis de Veyra, "Tribu"

Editing: Aleks Castañeda, "Tambolista."

Cinematography: Jeffrey de la Cruz, Brillante Mendoza, Gary Tria and Julius Villanueva, "Tirador"

Production Design: Lav Diaz and Dante Perez, "Death in the Land of Encantos"

Screenplay: Jade Castro, Michiko Yamamoto and Raymond Lee, "Endo"

Short Film: Alvin Yapan's "Rolyo"