Marian Rivera couldn’t avoid becoming emotional when she received the Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series award from the Golden Screen Awards of the Entertainment Press Society (ENPRESS) for her portrayal of a warrior queen in the GMA epicserye Amaya. The trophy was the first acting award she had gotten during her seven-year career as one of the country’s most bankable leading ladies, so she was understandably elated.

“Alam mo, nagpunta ako dito kasi ang sabi sa akin ni Popoy [Caritativo, her manager], magpi-present ako [ng award]. So, ako naman, okay, sige, punta ako dito. So, hindi ko ini-expect,” she was quoted as saying by PEP.ph. “Tapos, teka lang, dalawang awards na lang, Best Actor and Best Actress, so, sabi ko, ‘Okay.’ Tapos, first time ko ito at, sabi ko nga, for seven years, ngayon lang ako nakatanggap ng ganitong award. Salamat, thank you sa Enpress. Ang sarap (You know what, I went here because Popoy told me that I’ll be presenting an award. So I went here. I wasn’t expecting anything. Then I noticed that there are only two awards left, Best Actor and Best Actress, so I said, ‘Okay.’ It's my first time here and this is the first time I’ve received an award like this since I started in the industry seven years ago. Thank you, Enpress. It feels so good!)!”

However, being a bonafide award-winning actress doesn’t mean that she’ll start resting on her laurels anytime soon. “A, hindi, siguro ito ay magsisilbi para lalo ko pang mahalin ang trabaho ko at magsisilbing inspirasyon para lalo ko pang galingan ang trabaho ko,” she said. “Ang dami ko pang hindi nagagawa. Siguro ito ay unang hakbang para lalo ko pang pagbutihin ang trabaho ko (Oh, no, this will only make me love my job more and will serve as an inspiration for me to do better at my job. I’ve yet to do so many things. Maybe this is the first step I should take to excel in my job.).”

Her boyfriend, Dingdong Dantes, who was also recognized that night as the Outstanding Original Reality Competition Program Host for his stint in Protégé: The Battle For The Big Artista Break, also said that he is immensely proud of his girl.

“Ipagpatuloy lang niya ang ginagawa niya na nagpapasaya ng maraming tao. Marami pang darating sa kanya and I’m always here to support her one hundred percent,” he was quoted as saying in a separate article (I hope she’ll continue making many people happy. There will be more in store for her and I’m always here to support her one hundred percent.).”

(Photo courtesy of PEP.ph)