Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. paid heartfelt tribute to the late National Artist and iconic actress Nora Aunor following her passing on Tuesday, April 16.
Known affectionately as “Ate Guy,” Aunor was remembered by the actor-senator as a legendary figure in Philippine arts and culture.
“Lubos akong nagdadalamhati sa pagpanaw ng isang tunay na alamat ng sining at kulturang Pilipino,” Revilla said in a statement. “Si Ate Guy ay isang inspirasyon, hindi lamang sa aming mga kapwa artista kundi sa bawat Pilipinong nangangarap at nagsusumikap. Sa loob ng maraming dekada, siya ang naging tinig, mukha, at damdamin ng sambayanang Pilipino.”
To formally recognize Aunor’s passing, Revilla filed Senate Resolution No. 1339, expressing the Senate’s profound sympathy and condolences, and honoring her immense contributions to Philippine cinema and culture.
Aunor first captured the public’s attention when she won the national singing competition Tawag ng Tanghalan in 1967 with her rendition of “Moonlight Becomes You.” She later became known as “The Girl with a Golden Voice,” recording over 500 songs throughout her music career, including classics such as “Pearly Shells,” “Handog,” and “People.”
Her artistic journey continued into film, where she starred in more than 170 movies and earned numerous accolades, including seven Gawad Urian Best Actress awards. She was thrice named Natatanging Aktres ng Dekada, entered the FAMAS Hall of Fame, and received lifetime achievement awards from the Film Academy of the Philippines, Cultural Center of the Philippines, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Internationally, Aunor made history as the only Filipino actress to win major acting awards from five different continents. Her international honors include Best Actress at the Cairo International Film Festival (1995) for The Flor Contemplacion Story, Best Actress in Malaysia (1997) for Bakit May Kahapon Pa?, Best Actress at the Brussels International Independent Film Festival (2004) for Naglalayag, the Asia Pacific Screen Award in Australia (2013) for Thy Womb, and being named one of the 10 Asian Best Actresses of the Decade in 2010 in North America.
In 2022, she was conferred the title of National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts — one of the highest cultural distinctions in the country.
“Ate Guy, katulad ng paborito mong awitin na ‘I’ll Never Find Another You,’ wala na kaming makikilalang katulad mo. We will never find another you. You are a gem artist of a lifetime. Nag-iisa ka, and we’ll deeply miss you. Paalam sa isang tunay na Superstar.”
The music icon and acting legend was laid to rest at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani last Tuesday, April 22.
