Tovic Salvador

National Artist Nora Aunor honored with state necrological service

Article (news)

Reyma Deveza

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1745294923912b82fe91a-8f74-4630-b9e1-7d31b39487fb.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>MANILA -- Philippine Cinema&#x27;s Superstar and National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Nora Aunor was honored with a state necrological service at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila on Tuesday, April 22. </p><p>The tribute was given by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. </p><p>The remains of Aunor were brought to the Metropolitan Theater after receiving arrival honors at Arroceros Park.</p><p>In the state necrological service honoring the life and legacy of Aunor, National Artists Ryan Cayabyab, Alice Reyes, Ramon Santos, and Ricky Lee offered flowers.</p><p>Lee, a veteran screenwriter, was the first to give his tribute to Aunor.</p><p>&quot;Naisip ko, bakit ganito ang epekto ni Guy (Aunor) sa mga tao, bakit sila umiiyak? Alam ko kung bakit--dahil nakikita nila si Guy sa kanilang mga sarili. Sila si Guy,&quot; said Lee, who wrote Aunor&#x27;s award-winning movie &quot;Himala.&quot;</p><p>He went on to share that Aunor&#x27;s heart was with the masses, and that she truly touched many lives through her craft. </p><p>&quot;Marami siyang binasag at binagong paniniwala. Ipinakita na mahalaga ang mga nararamdaman ng mga taong nasa gilid ng lipunan. May mga boses na kailangang pakinggan. Pinili niyang huwag lang maging &#x27;Superstar&#x27; kung hindi maging isang tunay na artista ng bayan,&quot; he said. </p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1745294953230303deaa4-8ad0-405c-a871-a1710d4c60b5.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>Filmmaker and actor Joel Lamangan, on the other hand, called Aunor a &quot;dakilang aktres&quot; (great actress) in his speech.</p><p>&quot;Si Ate Guy ang magiging simbolo ng ating sining sa maraming panahon,&quot; he added. &quot;Mahal ni Nora Aunor ang pelikula, kailangang mahalin din natin ang pelikula. Dahil ito ay isang mataas na artistic expression ng ating bayan.&quot;</p><p>Beyond her talent, Aunor was also commended by Lamangan for her kindness and generosity, as well as her love for country. </p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17452949884424903cdb8-d8e6-4a64-9fcd-b0fc81b78d44.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>For screen veteran and former ABS-CBN president and CEO Charo Santos, Aunor gave Filipinos the most important gift--hope--through her life and body of work as an actress.</p><p>&quot;Walang himala pero may nag-iisang Nora Aunor. Ang kanyang tunay na buhay ay isang pagpapatunay na walang imposible kahit para sa isang batang nagtitinda ng tubig at mani sa riles ng tren,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;Ang kanyang buhay ay nasalamin sa buhay nina Elsa, Corazon, Delia, Flor Contemplacion, at marami pang iba. But Nora Aunor was even bigger than all her roles--higit pa sa mga karakter na binigyan niyang buhay, binigyan niya ng buhay ang pangarap ng milyon-milyong Filipino,&quot; she added. </p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1745295014451ac2e3ad6-f369-4496-8dfc-4ba875694f0c.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>During the state necrological service, a message from President Ferdinand Marcos was read by Victorino Mapa Manalo. </p><p>&quot;Ang pinakamalungkot na eksenang iniwan niya ay hindi siya lumuluha, pero tayo ang umiiyak,&quot; part of the President&#x27;s speech read. &quot;Minahal siya dahil siya ang unang artista na hindi kailangang abutin--siya na mismo ang lumalapit sa atin.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Maraming salamat, Nora, hindi lang sa pagganap kung hindi sa pagturo sa amin sa halaga ng pagpapakatao, sa pagsasalamin sa damdamin ng bawat Filipino, at sa pagpapakita sa buong mundo ng angking galing ng Pilipino.&quot;</p><p>One of Aunor&#x27;s children, actor Ian de Leon, thanked Filipinos and the NCCA for recognizing the Superstar&#x27;s contributions to Philippine cinema. </p><p>&quot;Ang kanyang mga karakter ay naging tulay para salamin ng ating lipunan. Sa bawat eksena, ginigising niya ang damdamin ng mga manonood, pinapaisip, pinaparamdam, at ipinapamulat,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;Sa samabayang Filipino at sa NCCA, maraming salamat sa pagkilalang ito. Pinatibay nito na ang pagdiriwang ng isang alagad ng sining ay hindi natatapos sa liwanag ng kamera kung hindi nagpapatuloy sa alaala, sa aral, at sa inspirasyong iniiwan nila pagkatapos isara ang kurtina. Maraming-maraming salamat po, mabuhay ang sining, mabuhay si Nora Aunor,&quot; he ended. </p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174529503158446d3a3d7-b6e6-422d-9ebc-0bbca686248e.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>Music performances were held between tributes: &quot;Walang Himala&quot; by Acel Santos-Sambrano with the Philippine Madrigal Singers and Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, &quot;Handog&quot; by the Philippine Madrigal Singers, and &quot;Superstar ng Buhay Ko&quot; by Angeline Quinto and Jed Madela.</p><p>The medallion of National Artist was entrusted to Aunor&#x27;s family as the Superstar receives state funeral rites with full military honors this afternoon at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City. </p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17452951511931745295149861.png" style="box-sizing:border-box;border:0px;max-width:100%;cursor:pointer;padding:0px 1px;color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;width:950px" id="isPasted" class="fr-fil fr-dib"/></div><p>Born Nora Cabaltera Villamayor, Aunor started her entertainment career in the 1960s as a singer and was known for her &quot;golden voice.&quot;</p><p>She went on to do powerful portrayals in films such as &quot;Himala&quot; in 1982, &quot;Bulaklak sa City Jail&quot; in 1984, and &quot;The Flor Contemplacion Story&quot; in 1995. </p><p>In 2022, she was declared National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts.</p><p>Asked how she wants to be remembered, Aunor earlier said: &quot;Kung sino ako. Kung ano ang pagkakakilala nila sa akin--isang mang-aawit galing probinsya na nakipagsapalaran para mabuhay ang sariling pamilya.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/4/16/nora-aunor-superstar-of-philippine-cinema-passes-away-2329" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nora Aunor, superstar of Philippine cinema, passes away</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/4/17/-grabe-magmahal-ian-de-leon-mourns-mom-nora-aunor-s-passing-1842" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nora Aunor died after medical procedure, says son Ian</a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-ASvs9A6YYs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iM3FM1cNFKU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DqDtP0MQyMo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q2sdBRJNlak?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RmBBGCBjdBo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6CqHFlZ0WBg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Philippine Cinema's Superstar and National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Nora Aunor was honored with a state necrological service at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila on Tuesday, April 22.</p>

Philippine Cinema's Superstar and National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Nora Aunor was honored with a state necrological service at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila on Tuesday, April 22.