Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Actress

Main article: Metro Manila Film Festival

The Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). It was first awarded at the 1st Metro Manila Film Festival ceremony, held in 1975; Charito Solis received the award for her role in Araw-Araw, Gabi-Gabi and it is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role while working within the film industry.^[1] Currently, nominees and winners are determined by Executive Committees, headed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman and key members of the film industry.^[2]

Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Actress
2024 recipient Judy Ann Santos
Awarded for	Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Country	Philippines
Presented by	MMDA
First award	1975
Currently held by	Judy Ann Santos, Espantaho (2024)
Website	www.mmda.gov.ph/mmff/

Winners and nominees

Vilma Santos has won several awards for the "Best Actress" category including her first win in 1977 for her performance in Burlesk Queen and her recent win in 2023 in When I Met You in Tokyo.

Judy Ann Santos won in 2006, 2019, and 2024 for her performances in Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo., Mindanao, and Espantaho respectively.

Anne Curtis won in 2008 for her role in Baler.

Nadine Lustre won in 2022 for her role in Deleter.

Key	Explanation
‡	Indicates the winning actress

1970s

Year	Actress	Film	Role	Ref
1975 (1st)	Charito Solis‡	Araw-Araw, Gabi-Gabi		[1]
1976 (2nd)	Hilda Koronel‡	Insiang	Insiang	[3]
	Nora Aunor	Minsa'y isang Gamu-gamo	Corazon de la Cruz
1977 (3rd)	Vilma Santos‡	Burlesk Queen	Chato	[4]
	Nora Aunor	Bakya Mo Neneng	Neneng
1978 (4th)	Nora Aunor‡ [Note 1]	Atsay	Nelia de Leon	[5]
1979 (5th)	Nora Aunor and Lolita Rodriguez‡	Ina Ka ng Anak Mo	Esther and Renata	[6]

1980s

Year	Actress	Film	Role	Ref
1980 (6th)	Amy Austria‡	Brutal	Cynthia	[7]
	Nora Aunor	Bona	Bona
		Kung Ako'y Iiwan Mo	Beatrice Alcala
1981 (7th)	Vilma Santos‡	Karma	Sara	[8]
	Nora Aunor	Rock n' Roll
1982 (8th)	Nora Aunor‡	Himala	Elsa	[9]
1983 (9th)	Coney Reyes-Mumar‡	Bago Kumalat ang Kamandag		[10]
1984 (10th)	Nora Aunor‡	Bulaklak sa City Jail	Angela Aguilar	[11]
1985 (11th)	Vivian Velez‡	Paradise Inn	Daria	[12]
	Nora Aunor	I Can't Stop Loving You	Amy Mercado
1986 (12th)	Liza Lorena‡	Halimaw sa Banga	Margarita	[13]
1987 (13th)	Melanie Marquez‡	The Untold Story of Melanie Marquez	Melanie Marquez	[14]
1988 (14th)	Amy Austria‡	Celestina Sanchez, Alyas Bubbles/ Enforcer: Ativan Gang	Bubbles Sanchez	[15]
1989 (15th)	Vilma Santos‡	Imortal	Natalia Avila	[16]

1990s

Year	Actress	Film	Role	Ref
1990 (16th)	Nora Aunor‡	Andrea, Paano Ba ang Maging Isang Ina?	Andrea	[17]
1991 (17th)	Nora Aunor‡	Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.	Pacita	[18]
1992 (18th)	Gina Alajar‡	Shake, Rattle & Roll IV	Puri	[19]
1993 (19th)	Dawn Zulueta‡	Kung Mawawala Ka Pa	Marissa Palma	[20]
	Nora Aunor	Inay	Sally
1994 (20th)	Kimberly Diaz‡	Kanto Boy: Anak ni Toto Gwapo	Michelle	[21]
1995 (21st)	Nora Aunor‡	Muling Umawit ang Puso	Loida Veranno	[22]
1996 (22nd)	Amy Austria‡	Trudis Liit	Magna	[23]
1997 (23rd)	Maricel Soriano‡	Nasaan ang Puso?	Joy	[24]
1998 (24th)	Alice Dixson‡	Sambahin ang Ngalan Mo	Blanca	[25]
1999 (25th)	Elizabeth Oropesa‡	Bulaklak ng Maynila	Azon	[26]

2000s

Year	Actress	Film	Role	Ref
2000 (26th)	Gloria Romero‡	Tanging Yaman	Lola Loleng	[27]
2001 (27th)	Assunta de Rossi‡	Hubog	Vanessa	[28]
2002 (28th)	Ara Mina‡	Mano Po	Richelle Go-Bala	[29]
	Maricel Soriano	Mano Po	Vera Go
	Joyce Jimenez	Lapu-Lapu	Bulakna
	Donita Rose	Lastikman	Linda
	Vilma Santos	Dekada '70	Amanda Bartolome
	Rufa Mae Quinto	Hula Mo, Huli Ko	Paula
	Zsa Zsa Padilla	Home Along da Riber	Sandra
	Ina Raymundo	Ang Alamat ng Lawin	Camila
2003 (29th)	Maricel Soriano‡	Filipinas	Yolanda Filipinas	[30]
2004 (30th)	Vilma Santos‡	Mano Po 3: My Love	Lilia	[31]
	Judy Ann Santos	Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita	Inya Marasingan Manalang/ Kapitan Berto
2005 (31st)	Zsa Zsa Padilla‡	Mano Po 4: Ako Legal Wife	Chona Gao-Chiong	[32]
2006 (32nd)	Judy Ann Santos‡	Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo	Angelita "Angie"	[33]
2007 (33rd)	Maricel Soriano‡	Bahay Kubo, The Pinoy Mano Po	Eden	[34]
2008 (34th)	Anne Curtis‡	Baler	Feliza Reyes	[35]
	Dawn Zulueta	Magkaibigan	Tere
	Maricel Laxa	Magkaibigan	Eden
	Ai-Ai delas Alas	Ang Tanging Ina N'yong Lahat	Ina
2009 (35th)	Sharon Cuneta‡	Mano Po 6: A Mother's Love	Melinda Tan Uy	[36]
	Angelica Panganiban	I Love You, Goodbye	Lizelle Jimenez
	Cristine Reyes	Ang Darling Kong Aswang	Eliza Santos
	Iza Calzado	Ang Panday	Maria

2010s

Year	Actress	Film	Role	Ref
2010 (36th)	Ai Ai delas Alas‡	Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last na 'To!)	Ina Montecillo	[37]
	Carla Abellana	Shake, Rattle and Roll 12	Dianne
	Marian Rivera	Super Inday and the Golden Bibe	Inday (Super Inday)
2011 (37th)	Maricel Soriano‡	Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow	Mariel	[38]
	Judy Ann Santos	My Househusband (Ikaw Na!)	Mia
	Ai-Ai delas Alas	Enteng ng Ina Mo	Ina Montecillo
	Maricar Reyes	Shake, Rattle & Roll 13	Isay
	Eugene Domingo	Shake, Rattle & Roll 13	Cynthia Gomez
2012 (38th)	Nora Aunor‡	Thy Womb	Shaleha	[39]
	Angelica Panganiban	One More Try	Jacqueline
	Angel Locsin	One More Try	Grace
	Judy Ann Santos	Si Agimat, si Enteng Kabisote at si Ako	Angelina Kalinisan-Orteza (Ako)
	Janice de Belen	Shake, Rattle and Roll Fourteen: The Invasion	Myra
2013 (39th)	Maricel Soriano‡	Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy	Pia Jackstone	[40]
	KC Concepcion	Boy Golden: Shoot to Kill	Marla "Marla Dy" De Guzman
	Eugene Domingo	Kimmy Dora: Ang Kiyemeng Prequel	Kimmy and Dora Go Dong Hae
	Kathryn Bernardo	Pagpag: Siyam na Buhay	Leni
	Bela Padilla	10,000 Hours	Maya Limchauco
2014 (40th)	Jennylyn Mercado‡	English Only, Please	Tere Madlansacay	[41]
	Vina Morales	Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo	Gregoria de Jesus / Oriang
	Erich Gonzales	Shake, Rattle & Roll XV	Sarah/Sandra
	Carla Abellana	Shake, Rattle & Roll XV	Aimee
2015 (41st)	Jennylyn Mercado‡	Walang Forever	Mia Nolasco	[42]
	Ai-Ai delas Alas	My Bebe Love: #KiligPaMore	Corazon Tala-tala
	Meryll Soriano	Honor Thy Father	Kaye
	Jodi Sta. Maria	All You Need Is Pag-Ibig	Mel
2016 (42nd)	Irma Adlawan‡	Oro	Kapitana	[43]
	Eugene Domingo	Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2: #ForeverIsNotEnough	Romina/Eugene Domingo
	Nora Aunor	Kabisera
	Rhed Bustamante	Seklusyon	Anghela Sta. Ana/NgaHela
2017 (43rd)	Joanna Ampil‡	Ang Larawan	Candida Marasigan	[44]
	Jennylyn Mercado	All of You	Gabby
	Dawn Zulueta	Meant to Beh	Andrea Balatbat
	Erich Gonzales	Siargao	Laura
2018 (44th)	Gloria Romero‡	Rainbow's Sunset	Sylvia Estrella	[45]
	Kim Chiu	One Great Love	Zyra Paez
	Anne Curtis	Aurora	Leana
2019 (45th)	Judy Ann Santos‡	Mindanao	Saima Datupalo
	Carmina Villarroel	Sunod	Olivia
	Miles Ocampo	Write About Love	Female Writer

2020s

Year	Actress	Film	Role	Ref
2020 (46th)	Charlie Dizon‡	Fan Girl	Jane	[46]
	Nora Aunor	Isa Pang Bahaghari	Lumen
	Iza Calzado	Tagpuan	Agnes
	Sylvia Sanchez	Coming Home	Salve Librada
	Ritz Azul	The Missing	Iris
2021 (47th)	Charo Santos-Concio‡	Kun Maupay Man it Panahon	Norma	[47]
	Daniela Stranner	Love at First Stream	Vilma
	Alex Gonzaga	The Exorsis	Dani
	Elizabeth Oropesa	Huwag Kang Lalabas	Fides
2022 (48th)	Nadine Lustre‡	Deleter	Lyra	[48]
	Ivana Alawi	Partners in Crime	Barbara
	Heaven Peralejo	Nanahimik ang Gabi	Me-Ann
	Toni Gonzaga	My Teacher	Emma
2023 (49th)	Vilma Santos-Recto‡	When I Met You in Tokyo	Azon	[49]
	Eugene Domingo	Becky and Badette	Becky Naman
	Pokwang	Becky and Badette	Badette Imaculada
	Sharon Cuneta	Family of Two	Maricar
	Beauty Gonzalez	Kampon	Eileen
	Marian Rivera	Rewind	Mary
2024 (50th)	Judy Ann Santos‡	Espantaho		[50]
	Aicelle Santos	Isang Himala	Elsa
	Francine Diaz	My Future You	Karen
	Jane de Leon	Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital
	Julia Montes	Topakk	Weng Diwata
	Vilma Santos	Uninvited	Lilia Capistrano / Eva Candelaria

Multiple awards for Best Actress

Throughout the history of Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), there have been actresses who received multiple Awards for Best Actress. As of 2019 (45th MMFF), 7 actresses have received two or more Best Actress awards.

Actress	Record Set	First year awarded	Recent year awarded
Nora Aunor	8	1978	2012
Maricel Soriano	5	1997	2013
Vilma Santos	5	1977	2023
Judy Ann Santos	3	2006	2024
Amy Austria	3	1980	1996
Jennylyn Mercado	2	2014	2015
Gloria Romero	2	2000	2018

Notes

1. Only the "Best Performer" award was given.