Veteran actress Eva Darren was left disappointed at the 72nd FAMAS Awards when she was not called to the stage to present an award as planned. Her son, Fernando de la Pena, expressed his frustration and outrage in a statement that went viral, prompting FAMAS to issue an apology a few hours later.
In his statement, de la Pena detailed his mother’s excitement and preparation for the event. “My mother, Eva Darren, a veteran actress of the Philippine movie industry, usually does not attend social events. She loves the simple pleasures in life, being surrounded by family,” he wrote. Darren had been invited to present awards alongside Tirso Cruz III and had meticulously rehearsed her script. However, during the ceremony, Cruz went on stage with a different presenter, leaving Darren uncalled.
“Mom was excited, bought the best dress and pair of heels she could afford, and topped that with a nice package of hair and makeup for the gala. During the event, she brought along three of her very proud grandkids,” de la Pena recounted. Despite her efforts, Darren was not called to the stage, and the PR officer had no explanation for the last-minute change. “To all of you people behind FAMAS, you cannot do this to an icon of Philippine Cinema! It is RUDE… It is DISRESPECTFUL… It is UNETHICAL… it is UNPROFESSIONAL to say the very least!!!” de la Pena exclaimed.
Following the viral backlash, FAMAS released a statement expressing their regret. “FAMAS would like to express its sincerest apologies to Miss Eva Darren, an icon in the Philippine Movie Industry,” the statement read. “This was indeed a setback in the live show and a negligence on the part of the team. Rest assured that this was not intentional and purely a misjudgment.”
The organization acknowledged the oversight and emphasized their respect for Darren and other veteran stars present at the event. “We truly value Miss Darren and the rest of the veteran stars present last night true to the Homecoming Concept of the show,” FAMAS stated. They promised to make amends and rebuild trust with Darren by arranging a personal visit from the FAMAS Board to honor her, should she allow it.
