Senate President Francis Escudero on Thursday extended his condolences to Nora Aunor’s family and the entertainment industry, describing her as one of the greatest artists he ever admired.
“Farewell and thank you, Ate Guy. Your light and memory will forever remain in the heart of every Filipino,” Escudero said in a statement following the passing of Aunor, the country’s renowned Superstar and National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts.
Escudero, who hails from Bicol like Aunor, recalled co-authoring a 2015 Senate resolution honoring her Lifetime Achievement Award from the ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada also paid tribute, calling Aunor a pillar of Philippine television and film and a true inspiration for using her talent to rise above hardship.
“With every film performance and every moment on stage, she showed us the true essence of art. No one has yet matched the impact she made on the industry,” he said.
Senator Imee Marcos called her passing a national loss, saying the country is “draped in black” as it bids farewell to one of its brightest stars.
Marcos worked with Aunor on the iconic film ‘Himala’ while leading the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines in the 1980s.
“She was the voice of the voiceless, the face of the everyday Filipino, and the soul of a nation in search of truth, justice, and identity,” she said.
“Her artistry didn’t merely grace the screen. It challenged it, elevated it, and transformed it,” Marcos added.
Senator Grace Poe described Aunor as a symbol of Filipino aspiration, having risen from poverty to stardom through sheer talent.
Aunor sold water at train stations as a child before winning ‘Tawag ng Tanghalan’, the country’s premier amateur singing contest.
“Her powerful performances in films like ‘Himala’, ‘Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo’, ‘Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos’, and many others are etched in the Filipino consciousness as treasures of our culture and heritage,” she concluded.