Jamaine Punzalan

Nora Aunor at the celebration of 100 years of cinema at Sine Sandaan at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City on September 12, 2019. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

Celebration of Philippine Cinema

Kaxandra Salonga

<p>Artists and filmmakers joined the nation in mourning the death of National Artist Nora Aunor, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 71.</p><p>In an Instagram Story, veteran actress Vilma Santos thanked and prayed for Aunor, who she worked with in “T-Bird at Ako” in 1982.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1744833376101Screenshot 2025-04-16 at 12.42.07 PM.png" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Courtesy Instagram / Vilma Santos Recto</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>Hilda Koronel, who was Aunor’s co-star in “Beloved” (1985) and “Nakaw na Pag-ibig” (1980), also penned a heartfelt message for the late actress. She recalled recent conversations about a potential reunion project with Aunor.</p><p>“You are now home with our Lord. What a big loss to our industry… but you will never be forgotten,” she wrote on Instagram. </p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIg6wQ5R4Dh/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A321870%2C%22ls%22%3A321298%2C%22le%22%3A321867%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="610" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>Cherry Pie Picache, who appeared with Aunor in Whistleblower in 2016, paid her respects in an Instagram story.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1744833433742Screenshot 2025-04-16 at 12.43.45 PM.png" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Courtesy Instagram / Cherry Pie Picache</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>Senator Robin Padilla, who voiced his frustration in 2014 over Aunor&#x27;s exclusion from the National Artist list, also shared a tribute to the late actress.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FROBINPADILLA.OFFICIAL%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0WEAE34oT8hEaNCfw1yLoSFKh3U67X9LxLzFLZkVX2i1NLVvHV2ihCB4FJdUoTRWbl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="474" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><p>In the same gesture, actress and comedienne Eugene Domingo said she will never forget the late actress.</p><p>Domingo reprised Aunor’s role in PETA’s contemporary stage adaptation of the 1980 film Bona.</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DIhEAeOtUzC/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A471452%2C%22ls%22%3A321298%2C%22le%22%3A321867%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="749" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, award-winning director and screenwriter Chris Martinez and film producer Noel Ferrer recognized Aunor’s impact on Philippine cinema.</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-4" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DIg92tnvXW7/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A4%2C%22os%22%3A888963%2C%22ls%22%3A321298%2C%22le%22%3A321867%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="610" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-4" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-6" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DIg_0kMpK8_/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A6%2C%22os%22%3A917989%2C%22ls%22%3A321298%2C%22le%22%3A321867%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="872" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-6" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>The Directors&#x27; Guild of the Philippines, Inc. also honored Aunor in a statement posted on Facebook.</p><p>&quot;To her fans, she was Ate Guy, but more than that, she was the voice of the voiceless, the face of the everyday Filipino, and the spirit of a people that refuses to be forgotten.”</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDireksGuild%2Fvideos%2F2433995373616667%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=476&amp;t=0" width="476" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><p>Aunor’s death was confirmed by her children, Ian and Lotlot de Leon.</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fbuchokokoy.psshh%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02mrAaKBBbTD57F65itLy226p6x83EAxqkjRtEieYvMuAaam6DuK6Cp5BBgAq5eHWcl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="609" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><p>“She was a star not only on screen, but in the hearts of many—and stars like hers never stop shining,” Lotlot wrote on Instagram.</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-8" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DIhDe96S6U5/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A8%2C%22os%22%3A1074732%2C%22ls%22%3A321298%2C%22le%22%3A321867%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="1116" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-8" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>She added that details of the funeral service will be announced soon.</p>

<p>Artists and filmmakers joined the nation in mourning the death of National Artist Nora Aunor, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 71. </p>

Artists and filmmakers joined the nation in mourning the death of National Artist Nora Aunor, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 71.

Artists and filmmakers mourn the death of Nora Aunor

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Artists and filmmakers mourn the death of Nora Aunor

Kaxandra Salonga

Published April 17, 2025 04:03 AM PHT

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Updated April 17, 2025 08:33 AM PHT

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Vilma Santos

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