Gov’t urged to declare Eddie Garcia national artist

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MANILA, Philippines — On the fifth death anniversary of veteran and multiawarded actor Eddie Garcia on June 20, a party list lawmaker has urged the government to declare him a national artist for his many contributions to the film industry.

“As we commemorate the beautiful and meaningful life of Manoy Eddie, it is only fitting that we confer on him the National Artist Award that he truly deserves,” AGRI party list Rep. Wilbert Lee said in his House Resolution 1769.

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According to him, the honor should have long been given to Garcia whose contributions and years of service to showbusiness deserve utmost recognition. Lee urged the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and Cultural Center of the Philippines to bestow the honor on the late actor and director, citing Garcia’s unparalleled skills, talent and passion exemplified in his career spanning seven decades.

He referred to the actor’s work from the 1940s until his last notable movie “ML” in 2018, adding that Garcia was the only person inducted in three categories of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences, or FAMAS Hall of Fame, for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Director.

Garcia died in 2019 after falling into a two-week coma due to a cervical spine injury he sustained in an accident on set while filming a TV series. — Jeanette I. Andrade