Vilma Santos, Nora Aunor and Lea Salonga.
As the National Artist controversy involving Nora Aunor continues to heat up following President Benigno Aquino III’s explanation on Tuesday regarding the omission of the legendary actress from the latest batch of honorees, not a few wondered if her arch rival Vilma Santos had any thoughts on the matter.
The actress dubbed as the Star for All Seasons and present Batangas governor has remained silent on the issue.
But veteran entertainment scribe Jun Nardo, who used to be her publicist, wrote in his column for the Pang-Masa tabloid of the Philippine Star last June 25 that he did try to get Governor Vi’s reaction on the matter (link: http://ift.tt/1lxtTz7) but she respectfully declined to comment.
“Kaya naman nang hingan namin ng reaksyon si Gov. Vi tungkol sa issue, nakiusap siyang huwag na lang siyang magsalita. Wala naman talaga siyang kinalaman sa bagay na ‘yon,” Nardo wrote.
Nardo added that although the governor is a member of the president’s Liberal Party, she never used her position to influence PNoy on who he should honor as National Artist.
“Nananahimik si Governor Vilma Santos-Recto sa Batangas kaya naman please lang, huwag siyang kaladkarin sa hindi pagkakapili kay Nora Aunor bilang bagong National Artist, huh!” Nardo pleaded.
InterAksyon also tried to get the side of Gov. Vi through Jing Seguismundo, public information officer of the Batangas provincial government. Segismundo did not return our text messages.
Meanwhile, outspoken singer-actress Lea Salonga has raised a valid issue on social media regarding the President’s position that La Aunor’s acknowledged past as a drug user disqualified her from the honor.
“I have a question: how do we know or not know that the other National Artist awardees, past and present, didn’t have sordid personal lives?” she posted on Facebook and Twitter on Tuesday.
Her remark has elicited dozens of responses, most of which were unfavorable to the present administration. At least one commenter said that Lea herself deserves to be a National Artist, too.
Last year, Vilma was quoted to be very much in favor of Nora being named National Artist.
“She more than deserves it. She has made so many worthy contributions to the movie industry. I just hope the public won’t [make it an issue] between her and me. There are more important matters that our nation has to attend to,” she said in an interview conducted by her son Luis Manzano and later reported by Philippine Daily Inquirer entertainment columnist Dolly Ann Carvajal.
Meanwhile, her husband Senator Ralph Recto was certainly not shy about giving his two cents worth and said that, like Nora, his wife is also eligible for the coveted honor.
“Ang alam ko lang I think she (Nora) is eligible for the National Artist Award at ’pag nauna sya e di susunod na rin si Vi,” Recto told several reporters as also reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Vilma Santos mum on Nora snub as Lea Salonga raises valid issue
Source: InterAksyon.com (July 02, 2014 at 08:31AM)
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