BINI Honors Regine Velasquez-Alcasid as Woman of the Year at Billboard Philippines Ceremony

A Tribute Across Generations of Filipino Music

BINI presented Regine Velasquez-Alcasid with the Woman of the Year award at Billboard Philippines Women in Music on March 24, 2026, honoring her as she marks 40 years in the music industry. Held at the Maybank Performing Arts Theater at BGC Arts Center in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, the ceremony brought together established performers and emerging artists whose careers span several generations.

Velasquez-Alcasid performed "Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw" before accepting the award and received a standing ovation. BINI, who also received the Powerhouse Award that evening, praised her voice, stage presence and enduring career. Their tribute connected her achievements with the ambitions of younger Filipino performers.

The members of BINI described the singer, widely known as Asia's Songbird, as someone whose example had helped them imagine greater possibilities:

Forty years in the industry, and she's still inspiring so many of us,

The group said Velasquez-Alcasid had made it possible for artists like them to dream bigger and achieve more. Their presentation gave the award a personal dimension: artists now reaching major international stages were recognizing a singer whose work had helped shape their expectations of a music career.

Velasquez-Alcasid used the occasion to turn that recognition toward the women around her. She spoke about ambition, preparation, family and the encouragement that an award can provide even after decades of success. Her message linked the evening's celebration of established names with its recognition of performers still building their careers.

Recognition Still Matters After 40 Years

Velasquez-Alcasid welcomed the award as encouragement at a major career milestone. She also described the ceremony as a chance to recognize other women whose contributions deserved attention.

The Woman of the Year recipient expressed her appreciation in these words:

This is a wonderful honor to be recognized like this amongst other women who are so deserving of the recognition that was given to them also. It's always wonderful to be recognized, of course.

Velasquez-Alcasid said the recognition gave importance to women working in Philippine music and provided an extra boost to someone who had already spent many years in the industry. For younger performers, she said, being honored for work they love can help them feel that their talent has a recognized place in OPM.

OPM, short for Original Pilipino Music, is a broad term for music created by Filipino artists. The evening reflected that range, recognizing performers working in pop, ballads, folk rock and other styles rather than treating Filipino music as a single sound.

Her response placed encouragement at the center of the award. A successful career can include major concerts, popular recordings and years of television appearances, while still leaving room for doubt. Velasquez-Alcasid spoke about recognition as something that can renew an artist's confidence at different stages of that career.

The Career Behind the Honor

Billboard Philippines announced Velasquez-Alcasid's Woman of the Year recognition on March 23, a day before the ceremony. The honor coincides with her 40th year in the industry and recognizes both her achievements as a performer and her influence on other artists.

Velasquez-Alcasid built her early reputation through singing competitions, winning Ang Bagong Kampeon and later the Asia Pacific Song Contest. Her powerful ballads, wide vocal range and singing technique became central to her public identity. Her recording career includes more than a dozen albums that achieved platinum sales status.

Concerts and recordings account for only part of that career. Velasquez-Alcasid has also worked in acting and television hosting and remains a regular performer on ASAP. Those roles have kept her in contact with audiences beyond the concert stage.

Sarah Geronimo and Rachelle Ann Go are among the singers whose early careers she helped support through singing competitions she hosted. BINI's tribute added another example of her influence: a younger group describing her career as a model for what they hoped to achieve themselves.

Dreaming Big Requires Preparation

Velasquez-Alcasid's advice to the artists at the ceremony paired ambition with practical effort. She urged them to imagine a future larger than their present circumstances, work toward it and be prepared when an opportunity arrives.

The singer put that message directly to the room:

You have to dream big. Dapat lakihan mo. Mas malaki sa'yo ang pangarap mo, then work hard. Be ready. Because one day, it will be your time.

In the Filipino portion of her remarks, she encouraged artists to make their dreams bigger than themselves. Her instruction to work hard and be ready gave the message a concrete foundation: ambition needs preparation so a performer can respond when a chance comes.

Her own path began with competitions and developed into recording, concerts, hosting and acting. At the ceremony, she addressed performers at several points along that journey, from rising groups receiving early recognition to singers with decades of work behind them.

A Father's Dream Traveled With Her

Velasquez-Alcasid also recalled how singing changed life for her family. Her late father, Gerry, had dreamed of traveling around the world, and her career allowed them to make those journeys together.

Remembering her father, the singer said:

I didn't know that my father's dream was to travel the world. And natulungan ko ang tatay kong matupad ang pangarap niya because I sang. We traveled the world together because I sang. Now, he's traveling in heaven,

Her recollection gave a personal meaning to the international stages associated with her career. Traveling to perform also meant helping a parent experience places he had wanted to visit. The achievement belonged to the family as well as to the artist receiving the applause.

Velasquez-Alcasid credited the music industry with changing her life in other ways, including bringing her together with her husband, singer and songwriter Ogie Alcasid. Following the announcement of her award, he congratulated her publicly on Instagram.

Alcasid praised his wife's commitment to her work:

Congratulations mahal. A well deserved tribute to your devotion and passion for your art. All glory to God. We love you and We are so proud of you,

Making Her Own Artistic Choices

Velasquez-Alcasid recalled resisting expectations about her appearance and repertoire when she was younger. She said she had been told not to cut her hair and not to sing certain kinds of songs, yet chose to do both.

Those memories brought the discussion of a long career down to everyday artistic decisions. A hairstyle and a song choice concern how a performer appears before an audience and what that performer wants to express. Velasquez-Alcasid described taking ownership of those choices as part of her experience in music.

Her remarks about independence sat alongside an acknowledgment of self doubt. She spoke about moments when artists question themselves and the need to recover confidence in their ability. Receiving an award after 40 years offered another source of encouragement as she continued performing and recording.

The Other Women Honored in Taguig

The 2026 ceremony was the third Billboard Philippines Women in Music event. The series began in 2024, followed by The Executive Edition in 2025. This year's ceremony returned its focus to artists, recognizing established careers alongside newer voices and awards decided by fans.

KAIA received the Listener's Choice Award for "TANGA," while singer and actress Ashtine Olviga received the People's Choice Award. Both categories involved fan voting, giving listeners a direct role in part of the evening's recognition.

KZ Tandingan received the Rule Breaker Award for her willingness to experiment and develop her sound. Her husband, singer and songwriter TJ Monterde, presented the award. G22 received the Rising Star Award, recognizing the trio's growing presence in Philippine pop, commonly called P-pop.

Yeng Constantino received the Hitmaker Award for a career that includes "Ikaw," "Chinito" and "Jeepney Love Story." The recognition highlighted songwriting and a catalog that listeners have continued to embrace over many years.

Lolita Carbon received the Icon Award for her influence on Filipino folk rock as the voice of Asin. Her career began in 1976, making 2026 her 50th anniversary year. Her recognition placed music rooted in storytelling and social awareness alongside the pop acts honored that evening.

From Lolita Carbon to BINI

Carbon's 50 years in music and Velasquez-Alcasid's 40 years gave the ceremony two distinct measures of longevity. BINI's Powerhouse Award recognized a group building its own international presence, with performances scheduled at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival on April 10 and 17, 2026.

BINI's role as both award recipient and presenter made the connection between generations visible. The eight members received recognition for their current impact while honoring an artist they credited with helping them dream bigger.

Velasquez-Alcasid, in turn, connected the younger performers to the work of Carbon and the artists who came before her. Addressing the musicians gathered at the ceremony, she said:

You are the future of OPM, and me being honored as the Woman of the Year, I am so proud of all of you because you guys will continue what Lolita [Carbon] and the artists before me had started. Congratulations to everyone, keep doing the work.

Her remarks framed the evening as a continuation of work across generations. Carbon, Velasquez-Alcasid and BINI represent different sounds and career paths, brought together by the recognition of women's contributions to Filipino music.

The Dates Around the Anniversary

Velasquez-Alcasid's award arrives during an active anniversary year. The release of her album Reginified, which reached the top of local iTunes charts, and a solo concert planned for October 2026 accompany the milestone. Her RESET concert series also forms part of this period of renewed activity.

The main dates surrounding the recognition and upcoming performances are:

• March 23, 2026: Billboard Philippines announced Velasquez-Alcasid as Woman of the Year.
• March 24, 2026: BINI presented the award at the ceremony in Taguig, where Velasquez-Alcasid performed "Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw."
• April 10 and 17, 2026: BINI are scheduled to perform at Coachella.
• October 2026: Velasquez-Alcasid plans a solo concert marking her anniversary year.

An exact October concert date and venue have not been announced in the details accompanying the recognition. For Velasquez-Alcasid, the anniversary combines a look back at four decades with further recording and stage work. Her message to the younger performers was equally direct: keep dreaming, prepare and continue working.

Key Points

• BINI presented Regine Velasquez-Alcasid with the Woman of the Year award on March 24, 2026, in Taguig.
• The honor coincides with her 40th year in the music industry.
• She performed "Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw" and received a standing ovation before accepting the award.
• Velasquez-Alcasid urged younger artists to dream big, work hard and prepare for opportunities.
• Other recipients included KAIA, Ashtine Olviga, KZ Tandingan, G22, Yeng Constantino, Lolita Carbon and BINI.
• Her anniversary year includes Reginified and a solo concert planned for October 2026.