President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday joined the nation in mourning the passing of National Artist and movie superstar Nora Aunor.
The family of the National Artist announced her passing on Wednesday. She was 71.
In his message of condolence, the President said: “I offer my heartfelt condolences to Nora Aunor’s family, friends, and the film industry itself. Let us pray together for the eternal repose of the soul of our beloved National Artist.”
President Marcos recalled the extraordinary life of the late National Artist for Film (Nora Cabaltera Villamayor in real life).
“Throughout her splendid career that spanned more than 50 years, she was our consummate actress, singer, and film producer,” the President said.
“At the young age of 23, she began producing films that will forever be part of the national heritage: Banaue, Bona, and Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos. Her other stellar performances can be found in Himala, Thy Womb, and The Flor Contemplacion Story,” the President said.
“She has won national and international awards for her performances. Her golden voice was a balm for all. Her genius was a gift to the Filipino nation,” he stressed.
Aunor’s awards and citations
Aunor acted in at least 170 films, and had received numerous local and foreign awards for her performances.
The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) said that among Aunor’s awards and citations were the Best Actress for “And God Smiled at Me” (1972) and Best Actress for Gawad Urian and FAMAS for “Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos” (1976).
In 1990, Aunor garnered a grand slam by winning all the Best Actress awards from Urian, Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards (FAMAS), Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), Metro Manila Film Festival, and Philippine Movie Press Club for her acting prowess in Gil Portes’ “Andrea, Paano ba ang Maging Isang Ina?”
Aunor was elevated to the FAMAS Hall of Fame in 1992.
She was also bestowed the FAP Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993; named by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) as one of the 100 Filipinos who made significant contributions to culture and the arts in the 20th century; given the Centennial Honors for the Arts by the CCP; emerged as Best Actress in 6th Asia Pacific Screen Award in 2012 and became the first Filipino actor to be inducted as a member of Asia-Pacific Screen Academy; and again won Best Actress at the 7th Asian Film Awards the following year.
An icon in the local musical variety show genre, Aunor had her own show that aired for more than 20 years.
Aunor’s extraordinary skills and talents were showcased on the theater stage in two major productions of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA).
Even with her many accolades, the superstar never lost sight of where she came from. She would always trace her roots in Iriga City, Camarines Sur, where she sold water at a train station.
In an address to her fans, Ms. Aunor once said: “Hindi naging madali ang buhay ko pero wala akong masusumbat kaninuman. Kayo (fans) ang nagpapalakas sa akin … Kayo po ang himalang binigay ng Diyos, kayo ang dahilan kung bakit may awit ang aking puso, kung bakit may isang Nora Aunor.” | PND
