The recent passing of cultural icons Nora Aunor and Pilita Corrales has highlighted the need for stronger institutional support and recognition for Filipino artists.
This Holy Week witnessed not only the rituals of the death and resurrection of Christ but the passing of two major cultural icons of the Philippines: “Asia’s Queen of Songs” Pilita Corrales and National Artist and Superstar Nora Aunor.
Despite the Lenten Holiday which is usually the first of only two long vacation seasons in showbusiness — the other one being Christmas — people trooped to the Heritage Memorial Park to condole with the family of the two entertainment icons.
Nora was honored extensively by fans, the general public, and her peers. The government even declared Tuesday, April 22, 2025, a “Day of National Mourning” in recognition of the passing of actress and National Artist Nora Aunor. She was also given state funeral rites with full military honors at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City at noon on Tuesday.
This was formalized in Proclamation No. 870, signed last Monday, which noted that Aunor’s passing “is a great loss to the Filipino people and to the nation’s cultural and artistic community.” The proclamation also cited her outstanding contributions to Philippine cinema, television, and music, which have “left a lasting legacy on the nation’s collective memory and identity.”
The President even ordered that Philippine national flag be flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset, on all government buildings and installations throughout the Philippines and abroad last Tuesday, April 22 as a sign of mourning.
Nora Aunor was accorded such recognition because she is a National Artist. Some have pointed out, however, that despite Pilita Corrales’s significant contributions to Philippine music—as a distinguished performer on stage, television, and occasionally in film, as well as a talent manager—her impact on the arts and culture sector has not received comparable institutional acknowledgment. It may be argued that she elevated the standard of excellence in these fields and inspired a generation of performers and audiences, both locally and internationally. Whether such contributions merit recognition at the same level is ultimately for her core team and sector to determine and justify. Sadly in this country, it is often the responsibility of artists and their own networks to organize efforts to promote their achievements in order to be considered for prestigious awards.
This situation raises important questions. In the film industry, for example, organizations such as the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), the League of Filipino Aktor, the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), and MOWELFUND assist in compiling and submitting necessary documentation for National Artist nominations. However, who performs this role for singers such as Pilita Corrales? Furthermore, during times of crisis or death of a major icon, what role do organizations like the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM), the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc. (FILSCAP), the Performers’ Rights Society of the Philippines (PRSPH), or the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI) play? While some individual members were visible following Corrales’s passing, the absence of coordinated tributes was noticeable. Aside from a segment on It’s Showtime and a replay on ASAP, there has yet to be an official or organized tribute commemorating Corrales’s legacy. Even during the wake, there were no publicly assigned nights led by organizations or networks that had worked with her throughout her career.
Thank you to very generous people like Sharon Cuneta, Bong Revilla, Jinggoy Ejercito and other friends but don’t we wish an institution, like in films, really takes care of our ageing and sick music performers too?
On May 4, “ASAP” will honor Pilita and Nora in their live episode, and later that day, President Bongbong Marcos, Jr. is set to confer the Presidential Medal of Merit on four iconic Filipino women: Gloria Romero, Nora Aunor, Pilita Corrales, and Maragarita Fores at the Malacañang Ceremonial Hall.
The Presidential Medal of Merit serves as a symbol of the highest appreciation for those who have dedicated their lives to enriching Philippine culture and bringing honor to the country.
There would never be enough tributes for artistic and cultural icons who have dedicated their lives to the Filipino people. As much as possible, we hope we can honor them more while they are still living. But given the situation, let us continue honoring them and helping their families as they navigate through their lives with the passing of our artistic and cultural treasures.
