Beloved for her decades-long career in showbiz, Gloria Romero leaves behind a legacy of iconic roles and a reputation for grace and professionalism.
The world of Philippine show business lost a well-loved star on Saturday, January 25, with the passing of actress Gloria Romero. She was 91.
From 1949, Tita Glo, as she was fondly called, made hundreds of television shows and movies. Even in her 80s, the elegant Gloria still appeared in the GMA 7 show “Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko.” Her last film, “Rainbow’s Sunset,” was released in 2018.
Born Gloria Anne Borrego Galla to a Filipino father and a Spanish-American mother, she rose to fame as Gloria Romero — lead actress of Sampaguita Pictures’ “Cofradia,” “Dalagang Ilocana,” “Sino ang May Sala,” “Hong Kong Holiday” and many more box-office hits. Her mestiza features and tall frame became a standard of beauty during the 1950s to the 1960s.
As she got older, Gloria’s career transitioned to playing the mother of the leads. Although she was no longer the main star in these projects, she always held her own and never lost the luster she had as a box-office draw.
We remember her warmly as the composed mother of the bride in Laurice Guillen’s debut film, “Kasal?” A reviewer described Tita Glo’s performance here as “adorable.”
The 1980s to 1990s and even beyond the 2000s was a period of rediscovery for both Tita Glo and her growing audience. She imbibed the playful character of Tita Minerva to the hilt in the long-running sitcom “Palibhasa Lalake.” As the stern but lovable boarding house owner, Tita Glo matched the energy of the show’s frontliners played by Richard Gomez, John Estrada and Joey Marquez.
Her most significant film roles were to come later.
In 2000, she portrayed a matriarch battling an illness amid family crises in “Tanging Yaman” produced by Star Cinema and directed by Laurice Guillen. To this day, that celebrated performance remains etched in the hearts and minds of critics and viewers.
In 2001, Tita Glo was a hit in the Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Bahay ni Lola,” a family horror produced by Regal Entertainment. The late producer Lily Monteverde happily found out that it was a film that people watched in the theaters more than once. “Paulit-ulit na pinanood ng mga tao,” said Mother Lily.
Another important movie of Tita Glo was “Magnifico,” directed by Maryo J. delos Reyes, written by Michiko Yamaoto and produced by Violet Films. As a terminally-ill grandmother, Tita Glo was the primary motivation and a source of inspiration of the title character played by Jiro Manio. The Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino conferred to her an Urian Best Supporting Actress Award. The Manunuri also gave Tita Glo a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Many other bodies and organizations have recognized Tita Glo, including the Luna Awards, FAMAS, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), the Film Development Council of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Off-cam, she was known to be gracious and kind. We remember an anecdote shared by Cathy Sanchez-Babao who had written something positive about Tita Glo. Shortly after Cathy’s article came out, the writer got a call at the office of the newspaper where she worked. When she was informed that the caller was Gloria Romero, Cathy was skeptical. Doubts were put to rest when Cathy took the call and heard Tita Glo’s calm and motherly voice at the end of the line. Tita Glo had tracked Cathy at the newspaper office and just wanted to say thank you for the good writeup.
Tita Glo belonged to that age when stars were genuinely refined. She loved her profession, but more than that, she loved the people she worked with. She once told us during an interview on the set of director Gil Portes’ “Beautiful Life” that she enjoyed the meals with her co-stars and production staff because she said, “those are the moments when we get to really know each other.”
When asked for a lesson she learned from her years in showbiz, Tita Glo shared with us this short and meaningful reply, “Kapag magbigay ka, magbigay ka lang. Huwag kang mag-isip ng kapalit.”
To the elegant and beautiful Gloria Romero, thank you so much for your selflessness, thank you so much for your generosity.
