Some of the loudest applause at the 9th Entertainment Editors' Choice (The EDDYs) belonged to the night's acting winners.
Long before the first award was handed out at the Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors' (SPEEd) 9th EDDYS on July 5, much of the attention inside and outside the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Pasay was fixed on one question: Would Maris Racal and Rico Blanco cross paths?
It was the first major awards ceremony where the former couple, once among Philippine entertainment's most talked-about pairs, would both be attending as nominees and, ultimately, winners.
The curiosity was understandable.
Racal and Blanco ended their five-year relationship in 2024, closing a romance that began after they collaborated on the song "Abot Langit."
Months after announcing their separation, Racal publicly admitted she had developed feelings for her "Incognito" co-star Anthony Jennings while she and Blanco were still together.
Throughout the controversy, Blanco chose not to publicly comment on the breakup or its aftermath.
That silence earned him praise from many fans, who viewed his decision to stay away from public exchanges as a display of restraint and professionalism.
Against that backdrop, Sunday's awards ceremony became more than just a celebration of Philippine cinema.
Racal won Best Actress for her performance in "Sunshine," while Blanco received his first acting honor, sharing the Best Supporting Actor award for "Manila's Finest" with Will Ashley for "Bar Boys: After School."
For Blanco, the victory represented another milestone in a career that has expanded beyond music.
"It's my first time to be nominated in the film industry. So this means a lot to me. Bago lang po ako dito and yet... na-nominate pa lang masaya na ako tapos nanalo pa po. Maraming salamat po!" Blanco said as he accepted the award.
Before the ceremony, Racal said what she looked forward to most was seeing the winners' reactions.
"Ang nilu-look forward ko tonight ay ang mga winning moments ng mga tao. It's always beautiful to see their reactions, their speeches, and alam kong uuwi ako tonight feeling inspired," she said.
She later became one of those emotional moments herself.
Visibly surprised after being named Best Actress, Racal reflected on how closely she identified with her character in "Sunshine," a young woman forced to rebuild after making life-altering mistakes.
"Sunshine is a girl who had so much promise, who had big, big dreams, pero nadapa, nagkamali," she said.
"This feels so familiar to me and I know the feeling of losing everything. Matatanong mo sa sarili mo if titigil mo na lang ba. Burado na ba sarili mo? Pero hindi."
No doubt, her speech resonated with many who had followed her personal and professional journey.
"Sa lahat ng nadapa, bangon lang," she said.
The evening also produced moments that did not go unnoticed.
When Blanco's name was announced as Best Supporting Actor, Racal was seen smiling and applauding. Later, she told reporters she was happy for her former partner.
"I'm very happy for him. Nakakatuwa dahil matagal niyang gustong umarte. And now he has an award for it. I am genuinely happy for him," she said.
At one point backstage, Racal was informed that all acting winners would be called onstage together for the traditional group photo, meaning she would likely stand beside Blanco.
She paused briefly, laughed and answered, "Yes."
The anticipated reunion, however, never happened.
Blanco had already left the venue.
There was no awkward encounter or dramatic exchange between the two.
Instead, the evening offered a quieter but more meaningful moment: Racal and Blanco sharing the same space not as a former couple at the center of controversy, but as two artists being recognized for their work.
They came to the 9th EDDYs with different journeys behind them, but they both walked away with the same distinction: they were winners.