Cebu City gives tribute to actress Gloria Sevilla

All roads lead to the Atrium Wing of SM Seaside Cebu tomorrow, June 31, 2022 as the city pays tribute to great actress Gloria Sevilla at twelve noon.

The grand dame and Queen of Visayan Movies will be feted with a heroic salute to commemorate her invaluable contribution to the proliferation of Cebuano cinema and the advancement of Philippine movies.

Gloria, who was born in Cebu City on January 24, 1935, was already a promising screen artist during her youth as she was a stage performer in her elementary and high schools.

It was Azucena Pictures—according to the research of active member of the prestigious Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (MPP) Butch Francisco which was published in the 2019 Gawad Urian souvenir program where she was honored with the Natatanging Gawad Urian—that gave Sevilla the first break in motion picture through the project “Prinsesa Tirana,” a Cebuano film.

Meanwhile, Sevilla’s national exposure and romance with film audiences was with Premiere Productions of the Santiagos.

The jumpstarting of the Visayan cinema was done by Gloria and her husband, Mat Ranillo, Jr. It was a successful attempt made for the benefit of regional moviemaking in the country.

Tita (a term of endearment and respect to an older woman by blood affinity) Glo was also a radio, television and theater personality so the homage is to accentuate her influences on mass media.

According to Sam Constanilla, a good friend of the Ranillos, tomorrow’s event is being organized not only by Glo’s son Dandin Ranillo but by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and City Councilor James Anthony Cuenco. “Mayor Rama and Councilor Cuenco are very enthusiastic about giving my mom the due recognition as an artist,” said Dandin, who is based in the US.

The tribute is also a vehicle to launch the Gloria Sevilla Foundation, an organization to help and support deserving artists. “The foundation’s goal is to revive and promote Visayan movies as well as help in poverty alleviation,” Dandin underscored.

Many entertainers from Manila and Cebu are invited to attend the gig which will be opened at twelve high noon for registration of guests.

“There will also be guest singers to sing the favorite Visayan songs of Tita Glo which were made titles of some of her memorable movies,” said Sam.

Gloria died in the US last April at 90.