"Agent OO's" sequel "For Your Height Only" (1981) turned dela Cruz in an international star and gave him the notoriety to become a unique figure in cinema. After its local release, first lady Imelda Marcos organised a lavish film festival in the hope to present Filipino films to foreign distributor. At the event, "For Your Height Only" outsold every other film on foreign sales, while dela Cruz was the mediatic center of attention and the breakthrough celebrity. In the Philippines it is still their highest exported film, and within their acting community dela Cruz's international reach hasn't been topped.