Nora Aunor to be buried today at Heroes’ Cemetery

MANILA, Philippines —  The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) will preside over necrological services today for the late National Artist Nora Aunor, the country’s “Superstar” who died on April 16 at the age of 71.

The ceremony at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila will begin at 8:30 a.m. with arrival honors, followed by a tribute program at 9 a.m., the NCCA and CCP announced yesterday.

Aunor’s remains will be interred at noon at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, one of the privileges accorded to a National Artist.

President Marcos personally visited Aunor’s remains past 6 p.m. on the final day of her wake yesterday at Heritage Park in Taguig with his wife First Lady Liza Marcos.

In an earlier statement, Marcos said Aunor was a “consummate actress, singer and film producer.”

Two hours earlier, the President’s estranged sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, also paid her respects. She was the director-general of the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines – the predecessor of the Film Development Council of the Philippines – when the outfit produced its second feature, “Himala,” released in 1982.

The film, regarded as the best in the Asia-Pacific region in the 2008 CNN Asia Pacific Screen Awards, is one of Aunor’s most celebrated works.

Aunor died on Holy Wednesday due to acute respiratory infection following a medical procedure at The Medical City in Pasig, according to her son, actor Ian de Leon.

Since the passing of the “Superstar,” an outpouring of grief has come from her legion of fans, known as Noranians.

The family opened the wake for a two-day public viewing, but some fans waited diligently outside Heritage Park yesterday, hoping for a final glimpse of the legendary actress.

“Thank you, Ate Guy, because the show business industry would not be complete without her,” actress Judy Ann Santos told reporters in Filipino. “A lot of dreams have been fulfilled because of her.”

Aunor was named National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts in 2022 through Proclamation No. 1390, in recognition of her portrayal of the everyday struggles and aspirations of ordinary Filipinos. – Delon Porcalla