The Citizens Council for Mass Media (CCMM) honored him for best cinematography for A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino, 1965.He received the Natatanging Gawad Urian in 1983 for his outstanding contributions to Philippine cinema, and the Film Academy Achievement Award in 1992. Pareja ACTORS WORKSHOP FOUNDATION (AWF) A nonstock, nonprofit foundation, the AWF aims to provide training to actors through workshops.
Abelardo was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Film Academy of the Philippines in 1985 for his outstanding contributions to the movie industry. In 1939 he was recruited to work in Sampaguita Pictures by Pedro Vera, a provincemate who was one of the founders of the studio.
He received the Natatanging Gawad Urian from the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino in 1990 for his outstanding achievements in film. He started as a clapper boy in the films of director Carlos Vander Tolosa.
His other movies that received nominations in the best- cinematography category are: Tanikala and Working Girls, Urian; Brutal, Moral, and Desire, MMFF; The Graduates, Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa (You Were Merely Plucked From the Earth), and Nagbabagang Luha (Blazing Tears), Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) Awards; and Hari sa Hari, Lahi sa Lahi (King to King, Race to Race), Star Awards. To him have been attributed such awesome and wondrous cinematic effects as human princes turning into figures of stone and vice versa in Ibong Adarna (Adarna Bird), 1941; the fantastic floating castle in Prinsesang Basahan (The Princess in Rags), 1949; the biblical Red Sea parting at the stroke of a cane in Tungkod ni Moises (Moses’ Cane), 1952; handsome Jaime de la Rosa transformed into a horrifying bat creature in Taong Paniki (Bat Man), 1952; Bayani Casimiro dancing upside down from ceiling-to-wall-to-floor in Big Shot, 1956; and the terrifying giant reptile monster sowing havoc in Tuko Sa Madre Kakaw (Gecko at Madre Cacao), 1959. Francisco aka Botong Francisco for the production design of some films that he directed, among them: Haring Kobra (King Cobra), 1951, where a mythical Balinese country near the Philippines was created; and Higit sa Korona (Above the Crown), 1956, where the illusion of ancient Egypt provided the backdrop for the longest swordfight in local movie history. He finished high school at the University of Manila.
The other films Abelardo directed include: Malikmata (Phantasm) and Engkantada (Enchantress), 1948; El Diablo (The Devil), 1949; Mutya ng Pasig (Muse of Pasig), 1950; Ang Nuno Sa Punso (The Old Man on the Anthill) and Doctor X, 1950; Shalimar, 1951; Krus na Bakal (Iron Cross), 1954; Zarex, 1958; and Miranda and Lastik Man, 1966. He was married to Josette Collin Macalalag, sister of actor Mario Montenegro, with whom he had six children.
Its founders were noted actors and directors from the film industry, including Johnny Delgado, Laurice Guillen, Peque Gallaga, Leo Martinez, Ishmael Bernal, Rudy Fernandez, Amy Austria, Vivian Velez, Rowell Santiago, Mario Taguiwalo, and Ricardo Puno Jr.
The AWF membership as well as its teaching staff is composed largely of practicing actors involved actively in film, television, and theater. Her parents are actor Linda Estrella and Adriano Agana. Paul College, Quezon City and Philippine Women’s University (PWU). Perez of Sampaguita Pictures, who gave her a bit part as a solo ballet dancer in Milagro ng Birhen ng mga Rosas (Miracle of the Virgin of the Roses), 1949.
Its centerpiece project is its AWF Scholarship Program for Young Actors which provides selected talents a year-long curriculum and training in acting. The film broke box-office records and helped Sampaguita Pictures rise again after a big fire gutted its studio. Nolasco ’s Siete Dolores (Seven Sorrows) and Mga Busabos ng Palad (Slaves of Fate), 1948; Eddie Infante ’s Ina (Mother), 1948; and Tony Arnaldo’s Anak ng Pulubi (Child of a Beggar), 1951.
At one time, AWF produced a 30-minute daily TV drama called Wakasan which served as a practicum for workshop participants. She became the most popular child star of the decade of the 1950s, sharing top billing with major stars, such as Pancho Magalona and Lillian Leonardo in Anghel ng Pag-ibig (Angel of Love), 1951; Gloria Romero in Rebecca and Ramon Revilla and Sylvia La Torre in Ulila ng Bataan (The Orphans of Bataan), 1952; Katy de la Cruz and Norma Vales in Cumbanchera, 1953; and Fred Montilla in Nagkita si Kerubin at si Tulisang Pugot (Cherubim Meets Headless Bandit), 1954. Aguirre made her screen debut in Sampaguita Pictures ’ Himagsikan ng mga Puso (Revolt of the Hearts), 1938, which was based on the novel by Julian Cruz Balmaseda, Tala ng Bodabil (Star of Vaudeville). During the 1950s she was an exclusive contract star of LVN Pictures for mother roles in films like Pag-asa (Hope), 1951; Tia Loleng (Aunt Loleng), Tenyente Carlos Blanco (Lieutenant Carlos Blanco), and Matador (Bullfighter), 1952; and Tumbalik na Daigdig (Topsy-Turvy World) and Sa Paanan ng Bundok (At the Foot of the Mountain), 1953. She is the eldest child of Bernardino Alatiit of Roxas City and Angelica Liguid of Cavite. After high school, she took a one-year course on tourism and travel at the Centro Escolar University.
He became a full-fledged cinematographer in Kandelerong Pilak (Silver Candlesticks), 1954, which won for Lilia Dizon the best actress award in the Cambodian Film Festival. As actor, Accion appeared in films like Ang Lalaki (The Male), 1947; Sierra Madre, 1948; Tambol Mayor (Big Drum) and Kandidato (Candidate), 1949; In Despair, 1950; and Donato, 1954.
He was also the cinematographer of Malvarosa, 1958, which won for Rebecca del Rio the best supporting actress award in the 5th Asian Film Festival held in Manila. In his later years, he turned to movie directing and made Kung Kaya Mo, Kaya Ko Rin (If You Can Do It, I Can Do It, Too), 1979, with Christopher de Leon, and Coed, 1979, with Vilma Santos and Jay Ilagan.
The AWF specializes and offers courses in improvisation and the Eric Morris system of work. She is married to Rodolfo Jao, and their nine children reside with them in Valparaiso, Indiana, USA. This was followed by Campo O’Donnell (Camp O’Donnell), 1950, a war film, where she portrayed the daughter of Pancho Magalona and Linda Estrella.