Rising OPM sensation Dionela dominated the 38th Awit Awards Powered by Vibe, taking home major accolades and delivering the night’s most talked-about moment at the Meralco Theater.

Dionela secured the Solo Artist Award and shared the Best Collaboration Award with R&B King Jay-R for their chart-topping hit “Sining.” He also captivated the audience with a soulful performance of his song “Oksihina.”

However, it was his acceptance speech that truly defined the evening. Standing before the country’s biggest musical icons and industry leaders, Dionela urged his fellow artists to use their platforms for a greater purpose.

“Maraming-maraming salamat po. And in front of these beautiful artists, these beautiful people, gusto ko lang i-grab itong chance na ‘to to share this beautiful thing,” Dionela began. “I just wanna remind everyone na I don’t think inilagay tayo ng Panginoon kung nasaan tayo ngayon just for popularity, fame, and money. Naniniwala akong there’s a greater purpose kung bakit tayo nandito.”

He added, “Let me remind everyone na, yes, we are artists at nandito tayo to express ourselves through our craft and through our songs. But I just wanna remind everyone na there are people who look up to us, and we’re not here just to entertain them but also to inspire them.”

In a bold move, he used his moment on stage to speak out on national issues. “Naniniwala akong tayong mga manlilikha ay isa sa mga may pinakamalakas na boses sa mga panahong ito, and I am encouraging everyone to use that loud voice against sa korapsyon na nangyayari sa bansa natin ngayon.”

His statement resonated deeply with the audience, delivered on the same day as protest rallies at the People Power Monument, where citizens called for justice and accountability regarding the government’s flood control anomalies.

Elevating OPM through Vibe, Dionela’s fearless expression of artistry aligns perfectly with the mission of this year’s ceremony. The 38th Awit Awards, a collaboration between the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI) and MQuest Ventures’ youth-driven platform Vibe, was designed to elevate OPM through innovation, access, and engagement.

The ceremony presented honors across five major categories: Performance, Genre Recording, Special Recording, Technical Achievement, and the Grand Awards.