Ma. Clara Ruiz Padilla - The Maria Clara Award

This award was inspired by our Great Grand mother Maria Clara Ruiz.

Maria Clara Awards — the first award-giving body formed by Manila Times Publishing, Co. with its inaugural awards night held in 1951. Major category winners were Doña Sisang, Producer of the Year; Premiere’s Kamay ni Satanas (Best Picture), Gerardo de Leon (Best Director, Kamay ni Satanas), Reynaldo Dante (Best Actor, Kamay ni Satanas), Nena Cardenas (Best Actress, Doble-Cara), Tony Santos (Best Supporting Actor, Hantik), Alicia Vergel (Best Supporting Actress, Mapuputing Kamay) and Mila Nimfa (Best Child Star, Nanay Ko). The second and last Maria Clara Awards were handed out in 1952. Guillermo Tolentino (later named National Artist for Sculpture in 1973) was commissioned to sculpt the statuette that bore the likeness of Maria Clara.