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Film, theater stalwart Rustica Carpio dies at 91

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Mario Dumaual, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Film and theater stalwart Rustica Carpio " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/entertainment/02/02/20220202-rustica-carpio.jpg"/><figcaption>Film and theater stalwart Rustica Carpio </figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- (UPDATED) Veteran actress Rustica Carpio, best known for her decades-long contribution in film, theater and the academe, passed on Tuesday at age 91. “She died peaceful in her sleep at our home in Imus, Cavite,” Carpio’s niece Michelle Tibayan told ABS-CBN News, citing complications of old age as cause of death. “Bedridden na din for the last two years,“ she said. Carpio’s nieces Nessea Carpio and Myrea Carpio Baquira also informed ABS-CBN News that their aunt expired around 4 p.m. Tuesday. For now, the Carpio family has opted for a private wake in Cavite. Best known for her award-winning role as Lola Puring in Brillante Mendoza’s 2009 movie “Lola” with Anita Linda, Carpio made a distinctive mark in many other movies like “Nunal sa Tubig,” “Tarima,” “Aparisyon,“ and “Ano ang Kulay ng Nakalimutang Pangarap”; and stage plays where she portrayed, among others, Leonor Rivera and Lady Macbeth. She was also in the ABS-CBN teleseryes “100 Days to Heaven” and “Aryana.” For “Lola,” she won a string of awards, notably the Gawad Urian for Best Actress, the Crystal Simorgh for Best International Actress at the Fajr International Film Festival in Iran, and the Las Palmas International Film Festival for Best Actress in Spain.Calling her an irreplaceable loss, director Mendoza told ABS-CBN News Wednesday that he and Carpio were still in touch until last year. “More than my actress, she was a dear friend. Lalong tumibay ang pagkakaibigan namin pagkatapos ng &#x27;Lola,&#x27;“ Mendoza related. “Isa siya sa institusyon ng teatro at pelikula at malaking bahagi niya ng industriya at ehemplo sa mga bagong henerasyon ng artista. Sana magpatuloy ang kanyang pamana sa sining.” Aside from “Lola,” Carpio also played an Abu Sayyaf hostage victim in Mendoza’s 2011 international movie “Captive” with Hollywood and French actress Isabelle Huppert. She also appeared in his film “Resbak” before the pandemic and in one of his short films.Her niece Michelle told ABS-CBN News of her last poignant moment with the bedridden Carpio. “Sabi niya meron na nasulat na drama para sa aming dalawa. Magda-drama tayo, magpa-practice tayo,“ she related. “Up to the end, sining pa rin ang nasa puso at isip niya.”<div>YOUNG SINGER</div>Born on August 9, 1930 in Paombong, Bulacan, Carpio started flexing her vocal pipes when she was only 10 years old, as she sang in operetta in her hometown. She finished an associate degree at the Philippine College of Commerce in Manila, that later became Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). She graduated there with honors. Then, Carpio pursued a Bachelor of Arts major in English at the Manuel Luis Quezon University, where she graduated magna cum laude.She won Fulbright and International House scholarships for her graduate studies. Hence, she opted to attend New York University (NYU), where she obtained her Master of Arts in Education major in Speech Education in 1956 at NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development.Aside from her acting laurels, Carpio was also a Palanca Award-winning essayist, a playwright and a stage director who worked at the helm of different plays.She served as board member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) from 1996 to 1998, under chairman Jesus Sison. She also worked at the Videogram Regulatory Board (VRB) from 1998 to 2000.Carpio made her big-screen debut in Ishmael Bernal’s “Nunal sa Tubig” (1976). That same year, she worked Danny Zialcita in “Katas ng Langis” and with Robert Arevalo who acted and directed “Hubad na Bayani” (1977).She got to work with Bernal again in the romance-drama, “Walang Katapusang Tag-araw” (1977) and in “Mahal Kita, Walang Iba” (1992).In 1978, Carpio starred with Nora Aunor in Leonardo Garcia’s “Pinagbuklod ng Pag-ibig,” yet it was her role as the superstar’s mother in Lino Brocka’s “Bona” (1980) that made a performance mark. For the third time, Carpio and Aunor co-starred anew in Zialcita’s “T-Bird at Ako” (1982).In 1979, Carpio completed her PhD in Literature mertissimus (cum laude) at the University of Sto. Tomas. She also became a UNESCO Fellow in Dramatic Arts at the National School of Drama and Asian Theater Institute in New Delhi, India.She served as dean in two schools of communication in Manila. She became the first dean of the College of Communication of PUP. She was also the founder of the Master in Mass Communication program of the PUP Graduate School that opened in 1990.In 1998, Carpio spearheaded the establishment of the Mass Communication Center of PUP. She also served as the inaugural dean of the College of Mass Communication at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM).On the big screen, Carpio felt truly honored she was given the chance to work with award-winning directors. Aside from Bernal and Brocka, Carpio was directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya in “Karnal” (1983), Tikoy Aguiluz in “Rizal sa Dapitan” (1997), where Carpio got to play the historical role of Teodora Alonzo, Jose Mari Avellana in “Damong Ligaw” (1997), and Erik Matti in “Vesuvius” (2012).Carpio also worked with Jose Javier Reyes in “Ano ang Kulay ng mga Nakalimutang Pangarap” (2013), Manny Palo in “Halik sa Hangin” (2015) and Adolf Alix Jr. in “Circa” (2019). <div>-- With reports from Leah C. Salterio</div>

Veteran actress Rustica Carpio, best known for her decades-long contribution in film, theater and the academe, passed on Tuesday at age 91. 

Film, theater stalwart Rustica Carpio dies at 91

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Film, theater stalwart Rustica Carpio dies at 91

Mario Dumaual,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 02, 2022 12:57 PM PHT

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Updated February 02, 2022 10:08 PM PHT

Read More:

Rustica Carpio

obituary

Brillante Mendoza

Lola

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