Manila, Philippines - Philippine King of Comedy Rodolfo “Dolphy” Quizon will be laid to rest today, but only family and close friends would be allowed at the burial.
Son and family spokesman Eric Quizon said it was a family decision to make the burial private to avoid possible pandemonium.
Quizon asked for the public’s understanding even as he advised them to just join the family via media platforms, since the press would be allowed to cover the event.
“It is unfortunate for those who love my dad, and his fans, that we will have to close the doors of Heritage Park (in Taguig City),” he said.
Quizon also clarified that there will be viewing areas for the media because the family does not want camera “hovering around them” all the time.
To accommodate the fans, the Quizon family extended the public viewing yesterday. More than 15,000 people paid their last respects to the movie icon despite the morning heat and afternoon rains.
A market vendor told The STAR that she had been wanting to visit Dolphy’s wake since it was opened for public viewing but could not because she had to attend to her three children.
Dolphy will be laid to rest at 3 p.m. today.
A necrological service will be held at 10 a.m. before the family brings the actor’s remains to his final resting place, which is about 100 meters away from the park’s entrance.
Quizon said Dolphy’s remains will be brought there in a carriage pulled by four horses.
He said they did not want to parade his father’s body anymore, that’s why they decided to hold the funeral in the same memorial park.
Quizon said it will be an all-white event, with all of Dolphy’s children wearing his favorite color.
Remembering the man
The Dakilang Lahi Foundation posthumously honored Dolphy with the People’s Artists Award on Friday, with former President Joseph Estrada presenting the award to the family.
The award was given amid debates about his possible declaration as National Artist.
The actor had been nominated but was not given the recognition during the term of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
In 2010, President Aquino conferred to him the Grand Collar of the Order of the Golden Heart.
“Throughout his professional career, Mr. Quizon has brought entertainment to millions while upholding high standards in his profession. He has also characterized his other causes, even political advocacies, with good natured decency and respect for all,” said presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda in a statement last Nov. 7, 2010.
Dolphy was the second recipient of the prestigious award after Helen Keller. The award was established in 1954 by the late President Ramon Magsaysay.
It recognizes “those who have rendered distinguished services or given noteworthy monetary or other material aid, encouragement to the campaign for the amelioration and improvement of the moral, social, and economic conditions of the Filipino masses, and for volunteerism in the service of the Filipino masses.”
National artist of the people
Sen. Francis Escudero, meanwhile, said Dolphy may not have been given the National Artist award, but he has already earned that distinction in the hearts of the people, which is the highest award and recognition that any actor or artist could receive.
“I am in favor of recognizing Dolphy as a National Artist, though that would only be a formality should it be given later,” Escudero said.
“Vox populi, vox dei. It is not a matter of discussion anymore. Dolphy has long joined the line of our National Artists,” he added.
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, on the other hand, said that there should be no obstacle to awarding Dolphy with the National Artist award for cinema.
Estrada, who produced one of Dolphy’s many films, shared a long friendship with the comedy icon and the late Fernando Poe Jr.
Dolphy and Estrada both fathered several children with different women. The Comedy King has 18 kids, including an adopted child, with six women, while Estrada has 12 children with five women.
Dolphy’s colleagues in his early days as an actor paid tribute to him in a gathering dubbed as “Sampaguita Night.”
He was a contract artist for Sampaguita Pictures from 1953 to 1962 and appeared in 65 films for the company.
Among those who eulogized the comedy king was Bella Flores, the most popular antagonist at that time, as well as Emmanuel Borlaza, the film director who had the most collaborations with Dolphy.
German Moreno, a colleague during the vaudeville days, thanked Dolphy for helping change the Filipino’s perception of homosexuals through his gay roles.
Moreno said Dolphy should be thanked for playing a gay rights’ advocate in his movies.
He cited that in the early days of show business, Filipinos who were raised conservatively treated differently and were embarrassed about having a child who was gay.
“They (gays) are maligned and ridiculed in public. They are being teased, but when Dolphy starred in ‘Jack and Jill,’ ‘Facifica Falayfay,’ the parents fell in love with his performance,” Moreno said.
Trouble at Pidol’s wake
The solemnity of the wake was marred by Annabel Rama’s attack on showbiz reporter Chito Alcid.
This was the second time this year that the feisty talent manager and former starlet was embroiled in a controversy while attending a wake of a high-profile personality.
Rama and husband Eddie Gutierrez came on Friday to pay their last respects to Dolphy and to join former members of Sampaguita pictures in their mini-reunion.
Rama, however, blew up after seeing Alcid in dining area.
“I tried to stay away from Annabel without making faces but she poked a knife at me and uttered a lot of things,” Alcid told reporters.
Fellow actors reportedly tried to pacify Rama, but the latter grabbed what seemed to be a microphone stick, tried to reach the writer at his table, and shouted invectives.
Rama charged Alcid with libel, together with her showbiz foes Amalia Fuentes and Nadia Montenegro in Cebu City, for allegedly writing stories allegedly damaging to the talent manager’s children.
She immediately left after the incident and ranted in her Twitter account. She later apologized to the Quizon family, saying she was provoked.
Alcid, on the other hand, said he would file charges against Rama. He said he was hurt that Rama has to create a ruckus at the wake of the Comedy King.
Quizon said he has already forgiven Rama but said such incident should not have happened.
Last April, Rama was also accused of making a scene at the wake of Joey Stevens, Fuentes’ estranged husband. – Jose Rodel Clapano, Marvin Sy