Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio —LYN RILLON
MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Lord Allan Velasco has filed a resolution expressing the “profound condolences” of the House of Representatives on the death of National Artist for Theater Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio.
Lapeña-Bonifacio died at the age of 90 on December 29 last year. No details on her cause of death had been released.
In filing House Resolution No. 1470, Velasco said “Lapeña-Bonifacio’s immense talent, artistry, and passion for children’s literature, puppetry and theater made a profound impact on Philippine arts and culture, and her life and work will undoubtedly continue to inspire countless generation of artists to hone their craft and create new avenues to further explore and enrich our country’s culture, literature and tradition.”
Known as the “Grande Dame of Southeast Asian Children’s Theater” and “Mother of Philippine Puppetry,” Lapeña-Bonifacio was a multi-awarded playwright, author, puppeteer, and educator whose works centered on children topics and other discussions about women and local folktales.
In his resolution, Velasco cited Lapeña-Bonifacio’s impressive collection of works, including 44 plays, 136 short stories, 26 books, and a novel, as well as several poems and essays.
Lapeña-Bonifacio was named National Artist for Theater in 2018 in recognition of her works.
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