Cover The most notable moment of this year’s Tala Awards was the introduction of Kathryn Bernardo as Ultherapy Prime’s new Philippine ambassador
The most notable moment of this year’s Tala Awards was the introduction of Kathryn Bernardo as Ultherapy Prime’s new Philippine ambassador
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Inside the Tala Awards 2026, where nearly 500 guests gathered to celebrate a decade of growth in Philippine medical aesthetics, with Kathryn Bernardo named Ultherapy Prime ambassador
Nearly five hundred guests filled the Grand Ballroom of Solaire Resort Parañaque last week for the Tala Awards 2026, an event now in its fifth year on the Philippine beauty calendar. The theme, Confidence Without Limits, framed the evening around a simple premise: that medical aesthetics in the Philippines has developed its own standards and its own body of expertise over the past decade.
Merz Aesthetics and Vanguard Aesthetics, the night’s co-hosts, used the occasion to mark that decade of growth. Guests arrived in black and gold under a dress code billed as “Limitless Heritage”, a palette that nodded to Filipino tradition.
Host Jackie Go opened the programme, and Raymond Ong, associate vice president for regional commercial at Merz Aesthetics Asia Pacific, set the tone with an address built around partnership and continuity. What stood out over the course of the evening was less about any single technology and more about the attention paid to community. This is a long-standing priority for Vanguard within the beauty industry.
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Above Aivee Clinic receives the Royal Tala Award for recognition across the full range of categories
Aivee Clinic receives the Royal Tala Award for recognition across the full range of categories
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There was still room for new material. Dr Nabil Fakih, a plastic surgeon known on the region’s aesthetic circuit, walked guests through a hybrid technique pairing Belotero, a prescription hyaluronic acid dermal filler, with Radiesse, an injectable dermal filler and biostimulator. The pitch centred on longevity, with results said to hold for up to two years, aimed at a clientele increasingly asking not just what a treatment does but how long it lasts.
The evening’s most notable moment came with the introduction of Kathryn Bernardo as the new Philippine ambassador for Ultherapy Prime, staged with a short film and an on-stage conversation with Go. Bernardo spoke about healthy ageing as a matter of consistency and informed choice rather than intervention for its own sake, in keeping with a device built around precision rather than transformation. The technology relies on real-time visualisation to help physicians target treatment depths accurately, calibrating each procedure to the individual rather than applying a single default setting, with the aim of a result that reads as natural rather than altered. It is a fitting match for an ambassador known for restraint and curation over reinvention.
The evening also offered a quieter take on self-care, framing aesthetic treatment as part of a broader approach to wellbeing rather than vanity or transformation. Consistency, informed choice and professional guidance took precedence, with self-care extending beyond appearance to how one carries themselves and makes considered decisions about their body.
Awards followed in volume. The Ultherapy CU Tala Awards recognised 22 clinics across its Legacy and Prime tiers, with nine more honoured under Ultherapy TD. The Overall Awards, which grade clinics across the full Merz and Vanguard portfolio, produced a straightforward tally: four clinics, Avignon Clinic, HOO Dermatology, Luminisce Holistic Skin Innovations and One Nadela Medical Group, reached three stars; Belo Medical Group reached five and Aivee Clinic reached seven, the top tier awarded on the night.
Above Dr Nabil Fakih presents a hybrid aesthetic technique combining Belotero and Radiesse
Dr Nabil Fakih presents a hybrid aesthetic technique combining Belotero and Radiesse
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Above Dr Christie Moey of Maple Clinic unveils the Ultherapy Mask
Dr Christie Moey of Maple Clinic unveils the Ultherapy Mask
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That standing carried through to the Royal Tala Award, given to a clinic recognised across every category on offer, from Ultherapy transducers to the full Belotero filler range, and described by the organisers as an acknowledgement of clinical leadership and sustained contribution to Philippine aesthetic medicine. Aivee Clinic received it, the award presented by Ong, Vanguard Aesthetics chief executive Ryan Ng and Dr Fakih. Accepting it, Dr Aivee Aguilar-Teo credited the physicians rather than the technology, noting that judgement and hands-on experience remain what a device alone cannot supply.
The Ultherapy Mask, unveiled by Dr Christie Moey of Maple Clinic, extended the Prime proposition into aftercare, positioned as a refinement of the treatment experience rather than a new development in itself. The Vanguard Aces recognition, honouring 25 doctors for education and mentorship, closed the formal programme before Ong returned to close the night, describing the evening’s purpose as rooted in trust and partnership rather than any one technology or personality.
Above Kathryn Bernardo takes the stage with the Vanguard and Merz Aesthetics teams
Above Kathryn Bernardo is introduced as the new Philippine ambassador for Ultherapy Prime
Kathryn Bernardo takes the stage with the Vanguard and Merz Aesthetics teams
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Above Kathryn Bernardo speaks with host Jackie Go about confidence and healthy ageing.
Kathryn Bernardo speaks with host Jackie Go about confidence and healthy ageing.
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What the Tala Awards made visible, in the end, was an industry taking the time to recognise its own, with clinics, doctors and educators each given their share of the evening’s attention. Confidence, in this telling, was treated less as a slogan than as something built and maintained over time.
Visit an accredited Ultherapy provider today and start your confidence journey. Check out the Ultherapy Directory ultherapy-asia.com/map and consult an accredited medical professional to determine the treatment that is right for you.
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Images: courtesy of Merz Aesthetics and Vanguard Aesthetics
A creative storyteller with a background in literature and culture, Dowee has been with Tatler since 2016 and now leads the brand’s digital voice—pursuing stories that highlight inspiring people, moments, and experiences. She holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from De La Salle University and is pursuing her PhD in Philippine Literature and Society at the University of the Philippines. She is also a member of the writers group, Taftique, which hones young writers in the field of creative literature.
For story leads, collaborations, or inquiries, reach out via dowee@tatlerphilippines.com or info@tatlerphilippines.com.
