
She leaves a legacy of professionalism and grace that is unmatched in local showbiz.
Condolences and prayers kept pouring in for our movie queen Tita Gloria Romero who left us last Saturday and whose remains lie in state at the Arlington Chapels in Araneta Avenue.
We have collated tributes and expressions of love and gratitude to our dear Tita Glo, and these words are truly comforting and revealing of her character and impact, especially to the people in the entertainment industry.
Much-awarded actress Hilda Koronel said, “I am truly saddened by the passing of Tita Gloria Romero, a great beauty and actress; but more importantly, a great human being. So very kind and gentle, she was my mom in my very first film ‘Haydee’ and in so many other films I made. I love her laughter and her beautiful smile. Tita Gloria, I love you and will always think of you with fondness and great admiration. Prayers for her family and loved ones.”
Screen writer of “Tanging Yaman” and film producer Moira Lang posted an important trivia on Tita Glo’s Urian award-winning performance, “The first choice of our director Laurice Guillen to play the matriarch in ‘Tanging Yaman’ was the great Lolita Rodriguez. Everybody involved in the project, myself included, agreed she was a terrific choice. So when talks with the actress, who by then was based in the US, fell through, there was disappointment all around.
“When the replacement was announced, however, I was both flabbergasted and ecstatic. Because while I was co-writing the screenplay with Shaira Mella MacKenzie, even though we thought it would be Miss Rodriguez who’d play Loleng, I was, for no apparent reason, imagining Gloria Romero in the role, the whole time.
“Goodbye and thank you to my all-time favorite. Long live the Queen!”
“As Loleng in ‘Tanging Yaman’ (2001) , as the matriarch with Alzheimer’s disease and increasingly becoming a burden to her perennially quarreling children (Johnny Delgado, Edu Manzano and Dina Bonnevie), “ Jerome Gomez of Spot.Ph said “Romero inspires compassion with her heartbreaking performance, switching from childlike fragility to exhibiting rare moments of lucidity, all the while being the singular reason keeping her family together.”
“As Doña Octavia in ‘Kapag Langit ang Humatol (1990)’ this radio drama material adapted to the big screen by writers Salvador Royales and Emmanuel ‘Maning’ Borlaza, Romero is the manipulative mahjongera Doña Octavia who makes the lives of the people around her miserable — from her weakling son (Richard Gomez) to the delulu maid he falls in love with and knocks up (Vilma Santos). But her inelegant ways and goon-like ideas ultimately bites Octavia’s rich lady ass,” Direk Laurice Guillen said, “While Gloria Romero was great in ‘Tanging Yaman,’ she was also terrific in ‘Kapag Langit ang Humatol’, kontrabida to Vilma Santos. She went to town with that role – also quite memorable!”
Of the young stars and the upstarts, Nikki Valdez said, “I was in the middle of my birthday dinner when I found out about your passing so it took awhile for me to process everything… It’s never easy to accept news like this but I would like to remember you and let everybody know how blessed and grateful I am that I had the chance to work with you in this lifetime.
“I will never forget that during the press launch of Star Circle Batch 4, a reporter asked, ‘Ten years from now, how do you see yourself in showbiz and how long would you want to be in the business?’ and I happily answered, “Gusto ko po parang si Ms. Gloria Romero na kahit sa edad niya, busy pa rin siya at kayang kaya niya pa’ that’s why when I found out na laging magkadikit ang characters natin sa ‘Okay Fine, Whatever!,’ tuwang tuwa ako. We even shared a dressing room for 5 long years.
“Tita Glo, THANK YOU for everything you taught me – from how I should be professional, to all the life lessons we would talk about. Sa’yo ko natutunan mag-label sa hanger ng continuity ng damit (yes, she would do all that on her own), maging on time lagi sa set, na huwag lalabas ng hindi nakaayos (kasi ganon daw sila noon during her Sampaguita days) AND to ALWAYS keep a little for myself, be a good role model and humble lang palagi.
“Ang dami ko pang fond memories of you pero kulang na kulang ang space para malaman nila that you truly are a beautiful person inside and out.
“Rest in God’s loving arms now, Tita – my Lola Barbie. I will always be your grateful Camilla. “
Similarly, Janette McBride who was introduced in “Tanging Yaman” said,
“Three generations of broken women. Filmed 25 years ago and I can still hear the soothing humming in this scene. It was my first movie and I had the privilege and delight to play the granddaughter of the icon and queen of Philippine cinema, Ms. Gloria Romero. May her beautiful soul rest in peace.”
The Film Development Council of the Philippines Chair Jose Javier Reyes articulated a much deserved farewell, “Rest eternal in the embrace of Our Father. You shall always be the Queen of Philippine Movies. Thank you for making our silver screen sparkle, Tita Gloria.”