Pal finds old pic of Nora with Ninoy
FLASHBACK FRIDAY Nora Aunor and friend Baby K. Jimenez, now a Canada-based writer, in a 1982 photo with opposition leader Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., father of President Aquino, who left the veteran actress-singer out of the list of new national artists. The photo was taken in the San Francisco house of movie and television director Lupita Aquino-Kashiwahara, sister of the late senator. PHOTO COURTESY OF BABY K. JIMENEZ
MANILA, Philippines–A joke posted on a website said that one reason President Aquino excluded actress Nora Aunor from the newest batch of national artists was her being a “Marcos loyalist” during the martial law years.
A seemingly ordinary Flashback Friday photo on Facebook, however, contradicted this commonly held notion: It showed Aunor visiting Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., then a fierce political rival of President Ferdinand Marcos, in the United States.
The photo was taken in 1982, in the San Francisco home of the senator’s sister, filmmaker Lupita Aquino-Kashiwahara, according to Baby K. Jimenez, a Canada-based entertainment journalist and Aunor’s friend.
Although Aunor was identified as a supporter of the Marcoses, she also had links with the Aquinos.
In 1982, Aunor top-billed Ishmael Bernal’s “Himala,” produced by the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines, which was headed by Imee Marcos, President Marcos’ daughter and a self-professed “Noranian” (Aunor’s fan).
On the other side of the political fence, Aquino’s sister, Kashiwahara, directed two of Aunor’s landmark films in 1976: the psychological thriller “Magandang Gabi sa Inyong Lahat” and the anti-US bases drama “Minsa’y Isang Gamu-gamo.” Kashiwahara again directed Aunor in the film “Babae” in 1997.
In an e-mail, Jimenez told the Inquirer that show biz and politics often intersected in the Philippines. “We cannot draw the line. That’s why some actors get elected to public office.”
Godmother
Jimenez related that Aunor was close to Aquino’s sister. “Guy (Aunor’s nickname) called Lupita ninang (godmother). Lupita was a principal sponsor in Guy and (ex-husband) Christopher de Leon’s beach wedding in La Union province in 1975. Lupita called Guy ‘Buds,’ short for Buddies.”
Whenever Aunor would visit San Francisco, California, she would sometimes stay in the home of either Kashiwahara or another Aquino sister, Tessie Aquino-Oreta.
The Aquino sisters lived in exile in the United States during the martial law era. Senator Aquino lived in Boston at that time.
Jimenez recalled that she and Aunor were in San Francisco to promote “Bongga Ka Day,” a movie produced by the actress’ company, NV Productions, in 1982.
“Lupita earlier told us that her brother would be arriving in the Bay Area,” Jimenez recounted.
The visit was kept strictly confidential. “We couldn’t call Ninoy by name and referred to him as kuya (big brother), in case our exchanges were intercepted.”
While in a theater, Jimenez received word that the senator had arrived in the city.
“I told Guy that Lupita had called. She simply said: ‘Tara, punta tayo kay ninang (Let’s go to my godmother’s home).’ Lupita is married to Ken Kashiwahara, who worked with (TV network) ABC then.”
Nora-Ninoy meet
At the Kashiwaharas’ home, Aunor finally met Aquino.
Aunor seemed shy at first but she later became at ease.
“Ninoy always spoke to Guy in Tagalog,” Jimenez said. “She behaved like she was the president of the Ninoy Aquino Fans’ Club. She would always end her answers to Ninoy with po and opo. She kissed and hugged Ninoy so tightly.”
Jimenez was impressed because the senator “talked extensively about the Philippine movie industry and was quite knowledgeable about it.”
After all, Jimenez pointed out, the senator was once involved in the movies: The 1952 movie “Korea,” produced by LVN Pictures, was based on Aquino’s exploits as a war correspondent.
“I teased Ninoy about (‘Korea’ cast member) Nida Blanca, who was once linked to him,” Jimenez related.
They talked until 2 in the morning, Jimenez reminisced.
“That night, Guy promised to support Ninoy [should he return to the Philippines],” Jimenez recalled. “We knew he was going home.”
A year later, on Aug. 21, 1983, Senator Aquino was assassinated on the tarmac of the then Manila International Airport.
Food for wake
Aunor couldn’t attend Aquino’s wake and funeral, Jimenez volunteered, because “Guy was scared of the administration; she had tax problems then. But she sent food to the wake. She and her Noranians bought pan de sal, with palaman like corned beef and hot dogs, and sent the sandwiches to the mourners.”
Aunor stayed up late to listen to Jimenez’s stories on the first night of the wake. “She waited for me in her house. I told her that foreign correspondents went to the Aquino home, that Tessie refused to change Ninoy’s clothes for the wake. ‘Let them see blood,’ she said. We were all crying.”
The assassination “shocked” Aunor, Jimenez said.
“Guy was looking forward to seeing Ninoy again in Manila,” Jimenez said.
Jimenez explained that she had posted the Ninoy-Guy photos on Facebook in the past, in time for Aquino’s death anniversary two years ago.
“But the photos didn’t get as much attention until now,” Jimenez said. “People once again became interested in Guy because of all these controversies surrounding the national artist issue.”
Morality issue
The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), meanwhile, clarified reports about morality not being part of the criteria in selecting a national artist.
Trixie Cruz-Angeles, legal counsel of the NCCA, told the Inquirer in a phone interview on Wednesday: “The morality clause was in the old implementing rules but it was deleted years ago.”
She explained that the joint boards of the NCCA and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) could amend the implementing rules that govern the selection process.
“The rules were assessed and the problematic clauses were removed, including the morality issue,” Angeles recounted.
When Malacañang established a committee on honors to oversee all its national awards, it came up with two guidelines in choosing a national artist: “that the process was completed and that the nominee is in ‘good standing.’”
‘Good standing’
Angeles recalled that the committee on honors had already cleared Aunor and found her in “good standing.” Although “legal,” the President’s veto created a situation where there was “untrammeled discretion,” Angeles noted.
She explained that it was vital for the President to clarify the issue so that “future participants in the national artist selection process will understand the parameters of the Chief Executive’s discretion, so that we will not waste time and taxpayer money selecting someone who will only be vetoed by the President.”
Angeles added: “Art, as it is, is difficult to evaluate. The President has no expertise in the arts. That is precisely why there is a panel of experts in the national artists’ search committee.”
National interest
She said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma’s statement that the President’s choice of national artists was based on “national interest” likewise needed to be clarified.
“How is national interest related to the arts? The debates and discussions should be limited to a nominee’s body of work and artistry. We hope to be enlightened on this matter. Of course, we cannot compel the President. But a clarification would help create better policies in the future,” Angeles said.
Confidential letter
Angeles made the comments before Malacañang made public NCCA Chair Felipe de Leon Jr.’s letter to President Aquino assuring him that the NCCA and the CCP respected his decision excluding Aunor from the list of national artists.
Asked why the letter was made public, De Leon replied via text message: “Because some moles inside Malacañang released to the media what is supposed to be a confidential letter to the President.”
In a statement released on Thursday, the CCP remarked: “This presidential authority to affirm or not affirm the recommendations was vested in the 2013 Supreme Court ruling that disallowed a set of national artists named by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, which had not undergone the deliberation and selection process.”
Emily Abrera, chair of the CCP board, said in the statement: “Obviously, the artists we recommended were those whose contributions to the field of culture and the arts are genuinely outstanding and unassailable. While we had hoped that they would all be conferred the honor, the President’s approval is part of the process. Ultimately, the CCP respects that.”
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