President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Sunday posthumously honored four extraordinary Filipinos—undeniably icons in their respective fields—whose lasting contributions have significantly shaped Philippine culture, particularly in cinema, the arts, music, and the culinary landscape.
In a solemn ceremony at Malacañan Palace, President Marcos posthumously conferred the Presidential Medal of Merit to Gloria Romero, Margarita Araneta Forés, Pilita Corrales, and Nora Aunor, whose crafts have made our “national consciousness more visible and felt worldwide.”
“To Gloria, to Margarita, to Pilita, to Nora—it seem very little but the best we can do, maraming, maraming salamat po. You live on in every artist who takes the risk, in every child who has fond dreams, and every citizen who wishes to let the world know what it means to be a Filipino,” the President said.
The Presidential Medal of Merit, created under Executive Order No. 236 in 2003, recognizes individuals for their valuable input and excellence in the service of nation-building.
“We are here to honor four outstanding individuals who, though they have passed from our world, continue to shape our art, our cinema, our music, and our culinary landscape.,” the President said.
“They are undeniably icons. But more importantly, we can see that the true quality of their art, of their performances came from the core of them being Filipinos. They are women who spent their lives sharing their gifts and deepening how we understand ourselves through their respective disciplines,” he added.
Romero, dubbed as the “Queen of Philippine Cinema,” was remembered for a career that spanned an entire era. She won seven FAMAS Awards, three Gawad Urian Awards, and four Luna Awards. Among her impactful films are Dalagang Ilocana, Palibhasa Lalake, and Tanging Yaman. Romero passed away on January 25, 2025.
Forés, meanwhile, has “reimagined Italian cuisine by giving it a Filipino heart.” In 2016, she was named Asia’s Best Female Chef and received the 2025 Woodford Reserve Icon Award. Araneta Forés passed away on February 11, 2025.
Corrales, known as Asia’s Queen of Songs, cradled people across continents. She won Best Performer at the Tokyo Music Festival and received a FAMAS and Lifetime Achievement Award. Corrales passed away on April 12, 2025
Ultimately, Aunor was inducted into the FAMAS Hall of Fame and named a National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts. Her works have embodied the Filipino spirit. She won multiple local and international awards. Among her famous films are Himala and Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos. Aunor passed away on April 16, 2025.
The President thanked the awardees’ families for sharing their loved ones to enrich the country’s culture.
” Ang kanilang sining at likha ay hindi lamang naging aliwan ng ating mga kababayan, bagkus naging salamin ng kasaysayan ng bansa, ng bawat Pilipino,” President Marcos said.
He also reminded Filipinos that arts and culture are not just a part of our past but also shape our identity and inspire us to work towards a more prosperous future. | PND
