Why Franciscans oppose Lapid bill to rename Del Monte Avenue after FPJ

MANILA, Philippines — What's in a name? 

For a religious order in the Philippines, it's the historical and cultural significance of Del Monte Avenue in Quezon City that made them oppose a bill seeking to rename it after the late actor Fernando Poe Jr. 

Sen. Lito Lapid, an actor and lawmaker, filed Senate Bill 1882 in September, which was co-sponsored by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, a former actor and variety show host.

In an open letter on Saturday, the Franciscan Order, which marks the feast of its founder Francis of Assisi on Sunday, October 4, said there is "great historical value" to the name of Del Monte Avenue.

They said it is part of the Quezon City's San Francisco del Monte district, founded in 1590 by friar Pedro Bautista. Bautista has since been canonized by the Catholic Church. 

"There is no doubt that FPJ has done great things for the movie industry," the order told Lapid, "but please choose another street [that] is not named after anybody, without any historical or religious significance, or constructed in its present state only after World War II."

Poe, who died in 2004 after losing a presidential election marred by fraud allegations, was posthumously conferred the National Artist for Film title in 2006. 

The actor started the flim company FPJ Productions in 1961 on the corner of Biak na Bato and Del Monte Avenue. His long years in the movie industry eventually earned him the moniker as "King of Philippine Movies" or simply "Da King."

But Fr. Cielo Almazan, head of the Filipino Franciscans, said FPJ "turned the whole Q.C. into his studio as he shot many of his movies in different areas of this city."

"There are many streets in our city that are his favorite locations for his movies, or memorable to him or connected with him," he said.

What the NCCA says

Guidelines by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts on naming and renaming streets in the country states that "no public place should be renamed if the present name has attained a degree of historical association and has developed an importance of its own."

Places which have been "sanctified by long usage by the people," shall also be retained and preserved, the guidelines added. 

"We humbly propose that FPJ's name be honored in another street with a name that is not as treasured and significant as the name of Del Monte Avenue," the order said. 

A counterpart bill had hurdled past through the House of Representatives last month. 

FPJ's daughter, Sen. Grace Poe, had thanked her co-lawmakers for the measure. 

"I know this is unorthodox, this is just referral of the bill but I would like to sincerely thank our colleagues who expressed to be co-authors. I’m very touched," she said.