Dannyka Manangan

Cathy Sanchez Babao shares mom Caridad Sanchez's endearing reminder about her ‘LVN Tita' Rosa Rosal

Article (news)

Nikka Avegail Sabio

Push Team

<p>Cathy Sanchez Babao, daughter of veteran actress Caridad Sanchez, took to social media to share a touching reminder her mother often told her about the late LVN Pictures star Rosa Rosal.</p><p>On Facebook, Cathy recalled how her mom would always remind her to be kind because she shares the same birthday as the legendary actress.</p><p> “‘Dapat mabait ka kasi ka-birthday mo si Rosa Rosal!’ For many years, my mom would say this as if it were a sacred commandment. Engraved somewhere between ‘Honor thy parents’ and ‘Huwag matigas ang ulo.’ And every year, without fail, she made sure I never forgot it,” Cathy wrote.</p><div> </div><div><strong></strong><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fcathybabao%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02RXN5x3qiPKa7C44Wn43jZPeRkRy2zWsc5gqcdJsszLZM45eNi2bTpZxfaYAsWACHl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="557" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><strong></strong></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>She described Rosa as one of her mother’s most loved, feared, and respected colleagues from LVN.</p><p>“Among all the LVN actresses from the golden 1950s, Tita Rose was the woman my mom loved, feared, and respected—all in one breath, like a quick intake of air before a dramatic movie scene. Whenever she spoke of her, it was always with a mix of reverence and a tiny, harmless hint of envy. Tita Rose was simply in a league of her own,” she expressed.</p><p>Cathy honored Rosa not only as one of the greatest actresses of her time but also as a dedicated humanitarian off-screen.</p><p>“Yes, she was stunning onscreen. Yes, her body of work could rival any Hollywood actress of her time. And yes, thanks to ABS-CBN’s Sagip Pelikula, her brilliance continues to flicker to life on our screens today, as if reminding us: Art, when done with truth, never really ages,” she stated.</p><div> </div><div><strong></strong><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fleo.katigbak%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02Hr1Gsa2nVbtu5XFHa2aHYaEpSyq1tNY9hQyszNxRR3xsA4YkJ3wGt4nqWPBCZbz9l&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="761" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><strong></strong></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>She highlighted Rosa’s celebrated performances in classics such as <em>Badjao, Anak Dalita</em>, and <em>Malvarosa</em>, calling each one “a masterclass in depth and grace.” But to Cathy, Rosa’s most important role came after her film career, that is her 70 years of service with the Philippine Red Cross.</p><p>“Her most important role came after the cameras stopped rolling. For 70 years she poured her heart into the Philippine Red Cross. She was a great actress, yes. But she was an even greater humanitarian,” she expressed.</p><div> </div><div><strong></strong><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphredcross%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02aXmzoBNYU13i5sYHo7ULU4jKw9vKhDw9mWWNj6boW33cf7oemS41DyXQNo1K3cLl&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=500" width="500" height="498" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div> <strong></strong></div><p>Cathy also admired how Rosa remained private and grounded throughout her life.</p><p>“And through it all, she guarded her privacy with the fierceness of a woman who knew exactly who she was. She loved her small, tight-knit family with the same devotion she brought to every cause. She was strong, elegant, and unshakably grounded in her faith,” she remarked.</p><p>She also remembered Rosa’s fellow LVN actress and close friend Delia Razon, who passed away earlier this year.</p><p>“Earlier this year, her LVN best friend, Tita Delia Razon, also journeyed home to heaven. And so I imagine today: the heavens a little brighter, a little more glamorous, with the LVN Titas, powder, pearls, and perfectly coiffed curls, gathered by the gates. Waiting. Welcoming. Ready with laughter and stories from a bygone era.”</p><p>“And at the center of it all, I imagine Tita Rose stepping in with that quiet, luminous grace, finally saying, ‘I am home at last!’” she imagined.</p><p>Reflecting on why her mother repeatedly reminded her of their shared birthday, Cathy wrote: “Maybe that’s why Mom always reminded me that we shared a birthday. Not just to keep me ‘mabait,’ but to remind me that grace, courage, and kindness never go out of style. People like Tita Rose live long after their stories end because they leave something of themselves in all of us.”</p><div> </div><div><strong></strong><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D10162039363023549%26set%3Da.39936198548%26type%3D3&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=500" width="500" height="250" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><strong></strong></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>Cathy ended her tribute with a heartfelt message: “So today, as I remember her, I light a small candle in my heart for a woman I grew up with — on screen, in stories, and in the way my mother spoke her name. What a life. What a legacy. What a beautiful homecoming.”</p><p>Cathy was among celebrities and personalities who remembered the late actress following the announcement of her passing last Saturday, November 15 at the age of 97.</p><div> </div><div><strong></strong><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D1343781761130410%26set%3Da.650104283831498%26type%3D3&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=500" width="500" height="709" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/11/18/remembering-rosa-rosal-the-actress-who-dedicated-her-life-to-humanitarian-service-1512"><strong>READ: Remembering Rosa Rosal: The actress who dedicated her life to humanitarian service</strong></a></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>Rosa was dubbed as the “original femme fatale of Philippine cinema&quot;. She is known for her iconic roles in <em>Sonny Boy</em> (1955), <em>Dagohoy</em> (1953), <em>Biyaya ng Lupa</em> (1959), <em>Ang Lahat ng Ito Pati Na ang Langit</em> (1989), <em>Anak Dalita</em> (1956), and <em>Badjao</em> (1956). </p>

<p><b>Cathy Sanchez Babao pays tribute to late actress Rosa Rosal. </b></p>

Cathy Sanchez Babao pays tribute to late actress Rosa Rosal.