The 23rd PMPC Star Awards for Television was held at the Pagcor Grand Theater, on Ninoy Aquino Ave., in Paranaque City last night, November 29. The program proper was slightly delayed, starting at past 7.m., to welcome attendees coming from faraway northside of the metropolis, including representatives from both giant networks ABS-CBN and GMA-7.

As in years past, this year's Star Awards for TV is a battle between 2 and 7, with the Kapamilya network now taking lead over its rival, Kapuso network, for the highest honors—the Best Station Award.

Also in the Kapamilya stable were the big winners of the night: veteran actress Ms. Gina Pareno, Best Drama Actress (for Tayong Dalawa, aired for nine months on ABS-CBN) and young actor Coco Martin, Best Drama Actor (also for Tayong Dalawa); Luis Manzano, Best Male Host (for ASAP '08) and Valerie Concepcion, Best Female Host (for Wowowee).

The long-running Maalaala Mo Kaya was named Best Drama Anthology and last year's edition of ASAP was adjudged Best Musical-Variety Show of the year.

ABS-CBN won a total of 27 awards.

GMA-7, on the other hand, garnered a total of 17 trophies, notably for the documentary program I-Witness and its hosts composed of Kara David, Jay Taruc, Sandra Aguinaldo, and Howee Severino; the Best Magazine Show and Host for the long-running Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho; Best Youth-oriented Program for Ka-Blog; and Best Host in an educational program (Kap's Amazing Stories) for Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr.

Other TV networks also figured in this year's awards: Q 11 with Balik-bayan, hosted by Drew Arellano (Best Travel Show and Host) and Day-Off, Best Reality Program.

UNTV 37 won an award for Ben Tulfo's Bitag Live (Best public service program host) and Net 25 clinched an award for the hosting chore of Janice de Belen in Sunday's Spoon.

TV5 was represented by actor-host Ryan Agoncillo whose talent search show Talentadong Pinoy scored a double victory, as Best Talent Search Show and Best Talent Search Show Host. Another winner from TV5 was the horror-fantasy program Midnight DJ.

Performers of the event, among many others, included Arnel Pineda and Charice; the Star Magic talents led by Piolo Pascual, Bea Alonzo, Vina Morales, and Sam Milby; top balladeer Jed Madela, Laarni Lozada, Sheryn Regis, Bugoy Drilon, Yeng Constantino; the Giggers Boys, Allan K and the EB Babes; and Nina and Richard Poon who sang the Best Teleserye Theme Song medley.

Produced by VIP Access Media and directed by Erick Salud, the 23rd Star Awards for Television 2009 has a delayed program telecast on ABS-CBN's Sunday's Best. It is an undertaking of the Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC), headed by entertainment writer-columnist, Roldan Castro.

Here's the complete list of winners:

Best CHILDREN SHOW: Art Angel (GMA-7)

Best CHILDREN SHOW HOST: Pia Arcangel, Tonipet Gaba, and Krystal Reyes (Art Angel, GMA-7)

Best EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM: Matanglawin (ABS-CBN)          

Best EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM HOST:  Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. (Kap's Amazing Stories, GMA-7)         

Best TRAVEL SHOW: Balik-Bayan (Q 11)                                   

Best TRAVEL SHOW HOST: Drew Arellano (Balik-Bayan, Q 11)

Best REALITY PROGRAM: Day Off (Q 11)    

Best REALITY PROGRAM HOST:  Paolo Bediones (Survivor Philippines, GMA-7)

Best LIFESTYLE SHOW: Events Incorporated (Q 11)                        

Best LIFESTYLE SHOW HOST: Tim Yap and Sam Oh (Events Incorporated, Q 11)

Best MORNING SHOW: Umagang Kay Ganda (ABS-CBN)  

Best MORNING SHOW HOST/S: Edu Manzano, Pinky Webb, Bernadette Sembrano, Rica Peralejo, Donita Rose, Kim Atienza, Alex Santos, Anthony Taberna, Winnie Cordero, and Ginger Conejero (Umagang Kay Ganda, ABS-CBN)

Best PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM: Probe Profiles (ABS-CBN)

Best PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM HOST: Cheche Lazaro (Probe Profiles, ABS-CBN)                     

Best MAGAZINE SHOW: Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (GMA-7)  

Best MAGAZINE SHOW HOST: Jessica Soho (Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, GMA-7) 

Best DOCUMENTARY PROGRAM: I-Witness: The GMA Documentaries (GMA-7)  

Best DOCUMENTARY PROGRAM HOST: Kara David, Jay Taruc, Sandra Aguinaldo, and Howie Severino (I-Witness: The GMA Documentaries, GMA 7)        

Best DOCUMENTARY SPECIAL: Walang Iwanan (ABS-CBN)

Best PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAM: ImBestigador (GMA-7)

Best PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAM HOST: Ben Tulfo (Bitag Live, UNTV 37)

Best NEWS PROGRAM: TV Patrol World (ABS-CBN)                    

Best MALE NEWSCASTER: Julius Babao (TV Patrol World, ABS-CBN)

Best FEMALE NEWSCASTER: Vicky Morales (Saksi, GMA-7)

Best YOUTH-ORIENTED PROGRAM: Ka-Blog (GMA 7)

Best HORROR /FANTASY PROGRAM: Midnight DJ (TV 5)

Best TALENT SEARCH PROGRAM: Talentadong Pinoy (TV 5)

Best TALENT SEARCH PROGRAM HOST: Ryan Agoncillo (Talentadong Pinoy, TV 5)

Best NEW MALE TV PERSONALITY: Zaijian Jaranilla (May Bukas Pa, ABS-CBN) & JR de Guzman (Midnight DJ, TV 5)

Best NEW FEMALE TV PERSONALITY: Maricar Reyes (Precious Hearts Romance Presents Presents:  Bud Brothers, ABS-CBN)

Best CELEBRITY TALK SHOW: SiS (GMA-7)    

Best CELEBRITY TALK SHOW HOST: Janice de Belen (Spoon, Net 25)

Best VARIETY / GAME SHOW: Wowowee (ABS-CBN)

Best GAME SHOW HOST: Richard Gomez (Family Feud, GMA-7)

Best GAG SHOW: Banana Split (ABS-CBN) & Bubble Gang (GMA-7)

Best SHOWBIZ-ORIENTED SHOW: SNN: Showbiz News Ngayon (ABS-CBN)       

Best MALE SHOWBIZ-ORIENTED SHOW HOST: Boy Abunda (SNN:  Showbiz News Ngayon, ABS-CBN)

Best FEMALE SHOWBIZ-ORIENTED SHOW HOST:  Toni Gonzaga (Entertainment Live, ABS-CBN)

Best COMEDY SHOW: Ful Haus (GMA-7)              

Best COMEDY ACTOR: Pooh (Banana Split, ABS-CBN)

Best COMEDY ACTRESS: Rufa Mae Quinto (Bubble Gang, GMA-7)

Best DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES: Pieta (ABS-CBN)

Best DRAMA MINI-SERIES: Your Song Presents: My Only Hope (ABS-CBN)

Best DRAMA ANTHOLOGY: Maalaala Mo Kaya (ABS-CBN)

Best MUSICAL VARIETY SHOW: ASAP '08 (ABS-CBN)

Best MALE TV HOST: Luis Manzano (ASAP '08, ABS-CBN)       

Best FEMALE TV HOST: Valerie Concepcion (Wowowee, ABS-CBN)  

Best PRIMETIME TV SERIES: May Bukas Pa (ABS-CBN)

Best SINGLE PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR: Joross Gamboa (Maalaala Mo Kaya: "Bisikleta" episode, ABS-CBN)

Best SINGLE PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS: Gretchen Barretto (Maalaala Mo Kaya: "Salamin" episode, ABS-CBN)  & Sunshine Dizon (Obra Presents: Sunshine Dizon, "Butch" episode, GMA 7)

Best DRAMA ACTOR: Coco Martin (Tayong Dalawa, ABS-CBN)

Best DRAMA ACTRESS: Gina Pareño (Tayong Dalawa, ABS-CBN)

Best TV STATION: ABS-CBN

Special awardees:

Hall of Fame Award for Eat... Bulaga! (GMA-7)

Ading Fernando Lifetime Achievement Award for Star Magic's  Johnny  Manahan

Excellence in Broadcasting Award for Vice-President Noli de Castro

Stars of the Night: Piolo Pascual (Male) and Anne Curtis (Female)

Faces of the Night: John Lloyd Cruz (Male) and Sunshine Dizon (Female)