Who are the Golden Buzzer Pinoys going straight to the Asia's Got Talent Semi-Finals?

We Filipinos are big on Pinoy Pride. We are quick to rejoice and express support for anyone with the slightest Filipino lineage who succeed on the global stage. This is why this third season of Asia's Got Talent has been making the headlines with, not one, but two Pinoy talents scoring the coveted Golden Buzzer, which sends them straight to the competition's semi-finals.

Filipino Golden Buzzer talents: 22-year-old Shadow Ace 
and 10-year-old Eleana Gabunada
(photos from AXN Asia)

For two consecutive episodes of Asia's Got Talent, we had two Filipino acts who wowed the show's hosts and main judge -- enough for them to grant their respective season Golden Buzzers to the talents who impressed them most.

Asia's Got Talent's February 21 episode saw Shadow Ace, a 22-year-old hand shadow artist from Batangas, scoring the Golden Buzzer from hosts Alan Wong and Justin Bratton. "He's brilliant and amazing!" the duo exclaimed before running to the judges' table and pressing the Golden Buzzer.

The judges were likely amazed by Shadow Ace's performance. "It's a silly thing, I guess, just to say that you play with your hands and make figures like that. But I'll let you know: I forget they were hands. They were people to me," David Foster commented.

Shadow Ace's emotional Golden Buzzer moment
(photo credit: AXN Asia)

Shadow Ace is Ace Philip Panganiban Galit, born on July 4, 1996 to Gerardo and Evangeline Galit. Ace is second in a brood of three, but he's the only one who lives with his parents now since his youngest brother passed away and his eldest sister already got married and started her own family.

Ace is often home alone because his parents work all day (sometimes on 24-hour shifts) in delivering vegetables to distant towns. He learned and honed his hand shadow art to amuse himself during times of power outages in their small town in Calatagan, Batangas. Little did he know that this pastime of his would become a passion that would bring him to the Asia's Got Talent stage -- and make him the first Pinoy to score the Golden Buzzer this season! 

The following week, in the show's February 28 episode, it was 10-year-old Eleana Gabunada who clinched the season's last Golden Buzzer from no less than David Foster himself.

Eleana gave a rousing rendition of Barbra Streissand's classic "Don't Rain on My Parade", to which David Foster gave a standing ovation and his most-awaited Golden Buzzer vote for this season.

David Foster pressing the Golden Buzzer for Eleana
while Anggun cheers on
(photo credit: AXN Asia)

"I think you're the only act that made David stand up," Jay Park quipped. Anggun was all praises for Eleana and even described her as a "baby Streissand".

Eleana was thrilled to receive the Golden Buzzer from David Foster himself because she grew up listening to the 16-time Grammy Award-winning music producer and songwriter.

Before her performance, when the judges asked her what she wanted to be, Eleana shared her dream of being a Broadway performer someday. And with her outstanding "Don't Rain on My Parade" rendition, she clearly did not disappoint the judges and the audience that night. David made it rain for Eleana on the Asia's Got Talent stage -- a surprising shower of golden confetti that delighted everyone!

Raining golden confetti on Eleana's parade
(photo credit: AXN Asia)

"There's a lot of people much older than you that could sing that song, but they don't understand the genre... But somehow, at age 10, you understand your mission and you understand your job, and there's no doubt in my mind that if you want to be on Broadway one day, you will," David declared.

Eleana Kaye Marie Gabunada started joining singing contests in the Philippines at the age of 5. Born on June 8, 2008 to parents Rey and Beng Gabunada, Eleana is the youngest among three siblings. According to her sister Mary Elaine Gabunada, Eleana's first contests were in SM Little Stars and in her school in Colegio San Agustin in Makati City.

The young singer joined the third season of The Voice Kids in 2016, in which she was a 3-chair-turner who chose Lea Salonga's mentorship in Team Lea. The multi-awarded Broadway star was very vocal in her support for Eleana right after she watched her protege's Golden Buzzer moment on Asia's Got Talent.

"A few years ago, this little one, clad in pink, roared into The Voice Kids' Team Lea with Fight Song. Now, swathed in gold, got the golden buzzer from David Foster on Asia's Got Talent. Straight to the semi-finals Eleana Gabunada will go!!! I am so thrilled for her!!!" Lea Salonga posted on her social media accounts.

Both Eleana Gabunada and Shadow Ace will be going straight to Asia's Got Talent's semi-finals this March where they will have a shot at the $100,000 grand prize that comes with the championship title.

Watch Asia's Got Talent every Thursday, 8:30 p.m. on AXN. For updates and behind-the-scene exclusives, subscribe to the official AXN Asia YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/AXNAsia and the show's official YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/AsiasGotTalent.