Preparations are officially underway for the milestone 50th-anniversary celebration of the Aliw Awards Foundation Inc. (AAFI). The golden milestone will coincide with the presentation of the 2026 Aliw Awards at the Fiesta Pavilion of the Manila Hotel on December 7.
The foundation was originally registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 1976. Its inaugural awards night took place a year later at the Philamlife Auditorium, where legendary performer Pilita Corrales made history as the very first Entertainer of the Year.
Since its inception, the awards have been held annually—with the sole exception of a 10-year hiatus from 1989 to 1999—across various venues, most frequently returning to the Manila Hotel.
In addition to standard competitive categories, this year’s golden anniversary will highlight several prestigious special recognitions. These include:
- The Legacy Award
- Lifetime Achievement Award
- Hall of Fame
- Excellence Award
- Special Award
- AHR Award
Furthermore, the foundation will confer Golden Memorial Awards to honor individuals and organizations that have provided steadfast support to the AAFI throughout its five-decade history.
Multi-awarded director Fannie Zamora is set to helm the grand anniversary production once again.