Will she score a grand slam?

Until 1982 — when there were only the FAMAS, Urian and Catholic Mass Media Awards — local actors and actresses were just too happy to receive even just one acting trophy from any of these award-giving bodies.

But when another award-giving body was formed the following year—the Film Academy of the Philippines—things got a little more complicated.

It was actually Vilma Santos who started the trend. She won in all four (for Relasyon) and all of a sudden, the term "grand slam" was on the lips of everyone come awards season.

That feat was duplicated only after three years—by Phillip Salvador for Kapit sa Patalim (Bayan Ko)—but there wasn’t much attention given to it because in the matriarchal society that is Philippine show business we usually only fuss over the actresses.

Meanwhile, yet another award-giving body was formed in 1985—that of the Philippine Movie Press Club, which staged the first Star Awards in very simple rites that was incorporated into an episode of Inday Badiday’s See True.

In 1986, Nida Blanca also scored a grandslam win in the Best Supporting Actress category for Magdusa Ka, but there wasn’t much to-do about it.

It wasn’t until Lorna Tolentino was hailed Best Actress in 1992 for Narito Ang Puso Ko that everyone started cheering once more grand slam! Grand slam!

The following year, Vilma Santos had another round of grand slam win for Dahil Mahal Kita (The Dolzura Cortez Story) and she would do this a third time in 2002 for Dekada ’70.

Other actresses also started earning their grandslam victories, through the years: Nora Aunor (The Flor Contemplacion Story, 1995), Sharon Cuneta (Madrasta, 1996) and Elizabeth Oropesa (Bulaklak ng Maynila, 1999).

The Best Supporting Actress category, Gina Alajar also won in all the awards derbies for Mulanay in 1996, while Piolo Pascual scored a grandslam win for Best Supporting Actor in 2002 for Dekada ’70.

And now, that seems to be the aim of every actor and actress and most of them are often heartbroken if they don’t score a grandslam at the end of the awards season.

This year, no lead actor, actress or supporting actor can still hope to make a grand slam win. But there is still one category left wherein one of our actresses can still earn a grand slam victory—Ara Mina for Best Supporting Actress in Minsan Pa. (The winners in Golden Screen and Star Awards didn’t tally except in her category).

Ara Mina’s role in this Jeffrey Jeturian film actually lies in the borderline of lead and supporting actress. Although she is the leading lady of Jomari Yllana and is, in fact, billed alongside his name, her character is basically secondary to the flow of the story (her first scene, in fact, comes much later in the movie).

But whether lead or support, Ara Mina had already proven her worth as an actress in films like Mano Po 2 and Huling Birhen sa Lupa—the two films that had already given her acting trophies in the past.

In Minsan Pa, she delivers another fine performance that is worth of more acting awards.

But I guess what gives her an edge over the rest of her competitors in this category—Chanda Romero (Naglalayag), Lotlot de Leon (Feng Shui), Iza Calzado (Sigaw) etc. is the fact that her role is the most substantial. Add to the fact that she truly gives justice to the part and — presto you have a winner in her.

No, this is not necessarily a campaign for an Ara Mina victory (although I truly believe in her worth as a performer), but a forecast of what may happen as the rest of the awards season unfolds. But I may even be wrong with my prediction because I do not know how the members of the other award-giving bodies (FAP and FAMAS) are going to vote. For all you know, other awards organizations may even put her in the lead category and here she will run into the likes of Vilma Santos (Mano Po 3), Nora Aunor (Naglalayag) and even Judy Ann Santos (Sabel) and this may break her string of grand slam wins. Believe me, you can never tell.

But so far, Ara Mina is the one and only bet for grandslam this awards season and I’d be happy if she achieves this feat.