THE PHILIPPINES once again proved that it has the best dramatic talents in the region when it swept the acting categories in the recently concluded Asian TV Awards in Singapore.

Jaclyn Jose was voted best drama actress by the 30 member jury for her role as Magda in the now-defunct daily soap, "Mula sa Puso." Jose's role is only a supporting one compared to the other Filipino nominee (Claudine Barretto, for the same series) but she impressed the jurors with what they described as "a most sensitive and heartwarming performance as a mother separated from her daughter for over 18 years."

This is Jose's second acting trophy from the elite award-giving body, the first of which she won two years ago for another supporting role in the GMA telemovie, "Kamada." Jose won over Chin-Chin Gutierrez and Singapore's Alka Amin.

Romnick Sarmenta proved that he is not the ham actor people have accused him of being by bagging the best TV drama actor for his gender-bending role in a GMA telemovie, "Bakla." The judges cited Sarmenta for his "studied, forceful and moving performance as Joy, a gay cross-dressing prostitute, who struggles to support himself and his handicapped sister in desperate circumstances while still retaining a sense of pride and dignity."

Sarmenta, who almost failed to attend the awards night, won over Thailand's Saranyoo Wongkrachang and Singapore's Lim Kay Tong.

Channel 7 newscaster Mike Enriquez was the other big winner for the Philippines as he romped off with best news presenter or anchor plum, winning over big names like Martin Soong (CNBC Asia), and Lorraine Hahn and Karuna Shinso (both from CNN). "Kulturang Handog sa Bayan," a joint project of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and ABS-CBN took the top honors for best special.

We had our share of runner-up trophies, courtesy of "Partners Mel and Jay" (best entertainment program), Roderick Paulate (best comedy actor), "I-Witness" (best documentary, "Kamao" episode), and GMA Network News (best news program).

GMA Channel 7 was accorded the runner-up distinction for the Broadcaster of the Year, losing out to The Television Corp. of Singapore for the top award of the year. To all the winners, congratulations!

Not everyone who went to watch "One for the Soul" at the Folk Arts Theater came out happy and high-spirited. The level of musicality was very high, in fact, too high for the average concert-goer to grasp. And we thought that was the show's major problem.

When the creative brains behind the show thought up the concept, they might have failed to truly consider the audience. There was no question about talent because the cast was one of the best ever assembled--Martin Nievera, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Robert Seña and Jaya, plus Eugene Villaluz, Isay Alvarez, Pinky Marquez, May Bayot and Edward Granadosin.

The choice of unpopular songs didn't go well with the crowd. The selection was a mix of gospel and high-end inspirational tunes. "There was no recall at all," said a bank executive. "Most of the songs sounded foreign," complained a newspaper editor.

We thought Robert Seña saved the show before it was to really sink, what with his hair-raising rendition of "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" that sent something unexplainable up and down our spine. Seña was simply splendid in that spot number.

Ramsey also scored high with her exulting "Joy to the World." Credits should also be given to Padilla and Nievera for their duet, "Used To Be," which they sang with precision and passion. Nievera was also good in his "He Lives In You" number, first heard from Rafiki in Disney's "The Lion King."

The show's technicals were outstanding. It was obvious that the show had a huge budget--we were impressed by the beautifully directed TV commercial--the best video and lighting equipment, the clearest sound system, the high-tech set, and the fabulous hippie costumes. Directors Rico Gutierrez and Ella Miller did a good job, but like a film without realistic material, one could only do so much.

The Music Museum was filled to the rafters when Rosanna Roces and Ai-Ai delas Alas staged their "Joyful and Triumphant" back-to-back concert last Tuesday and Wednesday. There was no boring moment we were glued to our seats.

The concept was about two crazy friends who go to an audition hoping to take a crack at singing stardom, so both talents have to showcase their wares, from pop to upbeat to mellow to roc to wacky and what-have-you. Roces went ala Madonna with "Like a Prayer" and Ai-Ai was Cindy Lauper complete with colored hair. Ai-Ai was a riot with her "Ice, Ice Baby" number and Rosanna was saccharinely sweet and sensual with her version of the "Notting Hill" theme.

There was an avalanche of for adults only jokes and punchlines, but they were all in the spirit of fun. And there were also a lot of quickie, "Don't-wink-lest-you-miss" portions when the duo bared and dared on stage. Guest star Bituin Escalante was well received for her interpretation of Mariah Carey's "My All."

Director Floy Quintos did a good job of keeping the show fast-paced and interesting, and we dare say that only Osang and Ai-Ai can get away with what they did on the show and how they did it.

Francis Magalona's rap songs "Halalan" and "Mga Kababayan Ko" became the anthems of the idealistic and restless youth. His rhyme and music rebelliously changed the face of Philippine music. So it comes as a ''shock'' to learn that he digs jazz, rock and Frank Sinatra!

"I grew up listening to all sorts of music," Francis quickly explains. "As a kid, I would often watch my dad lip-synch to a Frank Sinatra song. I had aunts who listened to Shirley Bassey and a brother who was into Don McLean and Jimi Hendrix. My sister was a Beatles fanatic, but I listened to a lot of Madonna, Michael Jackson and Prince."

At the same time, Francis admits that he would have loved to have a gig with rap crews: Public Enemy, Run DMC, Ice T and Beastie Boys.

"I couldn't get enough of rap! The first time I heard a rap record, I thought it was like poetry. But I could never do gangsta rap coz I don't use cuss words. I want to maintain a cool, clean image for the youth," he grins.

Francis has that attitude of wholesomeness without being too clean. He's unpredictable as a performer and as a host on "SOP" and MTV's "Talk," yet he's real. Thus, the youth can easily relate to him.

Francis frowns, "I would never put myself in a box. People think that rap or hip-hop music is juvenile--something that shouldn't be taken seriously. But rap is a distinct form from rock 'n' roll. Rap is about rebellion! There's so much anger in rap, especially among black rappers.

''The blacks came up with the blues, the precursor to rock 'n' roll, but Elvis Presley was crowned 'the king.' When rap became popular in the '80s, a white guy stole the spotlight from the blacks again--Vanilla Ice had the highest selling album.