Push Admin

Queen of Kundiman Sylvia La Torre passes away

Article (news)

Mario Dumaual, ABS-CBN News

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClpRdtrvxek/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"> </div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClpRdtrvxek/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div><div style="padding-top:8px"><div style="color:#3897f0;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:550;line-height:18px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClpRdtrvxek/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div></div><div style="padding:12.5% 0"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;margin-bottom:14px;align-items:center"><div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><div style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClpRdtrvxek/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Anna Maria PDT-Kline | Actress (@annamariapdt)</a></div></div></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>MANILA -- <strong>(UPDATED)</strong> Sylvia la Torre, beloved Queen of Kundiman and veteran actress, has passed on, leaving behind a rich legacy in Philippine music and recording as well as unforgettable appearances in movie and television in the last seven decades. </p><p>Her granddaughter, singer-actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, announced her passing on social media. </p><p>“RIP to my grandmother, Ms. Sylvia La Torre Perez de Tagle. First Lady of Philippine Television, Queen of Kundiman and Tandang Sora Awardee, devoted wife of Dr. Celso Perez de Tagle, loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, caring auntie, and affectionate friend, died peacefully in her sleep on December 1st at 7:02 am. At the time of her death, she was with her husband, of 68 years and her children, Artie, Bernie and Che-Che, “ she wrote. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Sylvia La Torre seating with Gloria Sevilla , Susan Roces, Lilia Dizon and other members of Balik Samahan Group. Photo from Pempe Rodrigo" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/entertainment/12/02/20221202-sylvia-la-torre1.jpg"/><figcaption>Sylvia La Torre seating with Gloria Sevilla , Susan Roces, Lilia Dizon and other members of Balik Samahan Group. <em>Photo from Baby K. Jimenez</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Balik Samahan, the Manila-based organization of veteran artists, also mourned the death of Torre. </p><p>“Nakakalungkot,” Pempe Rodrigo told ABS-CBN News, citing the passing on this year of their colleagues Susan Roces, Gloria Sevilla and earlier on Lilia Dizon, journalist Ricky Lo and other affiliated members of the group. </p><p>“I knew her since we were very young. Napaka-natural niya at hindi plastik,“ Rodrigo said. “We would have a reunion every time andito siya sa Manila. Nakakalungkot, nabawasan na naman kami.” </p><p>Seasoned entertainment writer and Torre family friend Baby K. Jimenez related to ABS-CBN News the last moments of the Kundiman queen: “Close friend ko her eldest daughter, Bernie. She told me on the eve of her death (that) all of them, lahat silang magkakapatid went to visit their mom and she was so happy seeing all of them. Yun pala the day after, she&#x27;s going to die.”</p><p>Jimenez recalled the showbiz aura of the queen who was also a comedienne. “Conservative si Ibyang. When she was a movie star, bawal for her leading man to kiss or hug her. Hanggang holding hands lang!”</p><p>Best known for her crystal rendition of Manuel Velez and Levi Celerio’s <br/> “Sa Kabukiran,” Torre started as a child singer on film in “Ang Maestra” in 1941 and went on to become an actress in several comedies in the 1950s. </p><p>Torre recorded hundreds of Kundiman and Pinoy novelty songs including “Waray Waray,” “Mutya ng Pasig,” “No Money No Honey,” “Alembong,” “ Sa Libis ng Nayon,” “Kalesa,” “Peksman,” “No Touch, Filipino Kostum,” and others. </p><p>She became a household name in the 1960s in the long-running ABS-CBN early evening variety show “Oras ng Ligaya” as well as other TV programs. </p><p>She continued acting in film until the 1990s, appearing in “Jack n Jill” with Sharon Cuneta, “Ligaw Ligawan, Kasal Kasalan, Bahay Bahayan”, and “Biyudo si Mister, Biyudo si Mommy”. </p><p>Torre continued her singing career when she and her family migrated to the United States, constantly advocating for the preservation and promotion of Philippine music. </p><p>Her granddaughter, theater musical artist Anna Maria Maria Perez de Tagle, joined her in many stage appearances for Filipino-American communities. </p><p>“My grandmother was my first inspiration when it came to singing and acting. She was my first vocal coach and taught me all of her kundimans,&quot; recalled Anna Maria.</p><p>&quot;Thank you for passing on your love of music to me and I will surely continue your legacy. Gone too soon but always in our hearts. Your song has ended but your melody will linger on. Love you, Mama Cita. “ </p><p>The Tagle family has yet to finalize memorial services for the kundiman icon. </p><div><strong>Related video:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w4Rgoi1NG8k?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The Philippines' Queen of Kundiman Sylvia La Torre has passed away on December 1, Thursday morning. She was 89. 

Queen of Kundiman Sylvia La Torre passes away

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

BINI

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Showbiz

Queen of Kundiman Sylvia La Torre passes away

Mario Dumaual,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 02, 2022 09:08 AM PHT

|

Updated December 03, 2022 08:31 AM PHT

Read More:

Sylvia La Torre

Queen of Kundiman

kundiman

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.