Seasoned actress and Philippine Red Cross (PRC) governor Rosa Rosal has passed away. She was 97.
On Saturday, Nov. 15, the PRC announced her passing in a Facebook post.
“With deepest sadness, the Philippine Red Cross announces the passing of Governor Rosa Rosal,” the organization said in a statement.
Born in Manila on October 16, 1928, Rosal (Florence Lansang Danon in real life) became one of the most influential advocates of voluntary blood donation in the country and helped expand the PRC’s welfare services for vulnerable communities.
“She championed voluntary blood donation across the country, strengthened PRC’s welfare services, and used every platform she had to promote compassion, volunteerism, and the protection of the most vulnerable,” the statement added.
Before shifting to full-time humanitarian work, Rosal was one of the defining actresses of the Golden Age of Philippine Cinema.
She starred in classics including “Anak Dalita,” “Badjao,” and “Biyaya ng Lupa,” later appearing in “Sakada,” “Esperanza: The Movie,” and several long-running television dramas. She also became a familiar public service figure through the programs “Damayan” and “Kapwa Ko, Mahal Ko.”
In 1999, Rosal received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for public service. She was also named the most trusted Filipino personality in 2010 by Reader’s Digest.
The PRC said that “wake details will be shared once arrangements have been finalized.”
