The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The object of the adulation has eased to be but the subject of the adoration surrounding it lives on.
To concretize: Superstar Nora Aunor has died yet the Noramania carries on.
This has been the case of the hero worship of Noranians to their idol when the reign of the actress in the industry was observed by her fans mid last week.
Avid Noranians trooped to the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City to celebrate the 59th year of the pop icon in the industry however posthumously.
No matter only a motley group surrounded her gravesite but its representation was enough to say she is still alive in the memory of her millions of followers to remind the nation of her importance as an artist and as a person in society.
She wouldn’t be a National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts for nothing.
As it is, people from all walks of life come and go to her tomb to pay their eternal respects with or without an anniversary or a special occasion to look back to and see beyond Nora as an icon.
Ardent Noranian Jen Morera who has literally and personally stayed more than one year watching over Guy’s resting place come hell or high water on daytime could attest that every minute a fellow fan would drop by to say a little prayer, bring flowers, light a candle or simply converse with the spirit of Nora in the air.
This time around, though, RVM (Religious of the Virgin Mary) sisters led the pack by praying the rosary in honor, aside from the Virgin Mary but of their deity as well.
Sister Remy Villaraiz came all the way from Cotabato City to once more pay homage to her idol of a lifetime.
“Basta nasa Maynila ako, dumadaan ako rito sa puntod ni Ate (Whenever I am in Manila, I see to it to drop by the tomb of—a term of endearment to an older woman by affinity of elder sister by blood) Guy,” volunteered Sis Remy.
Villaraiz, who is the president of Notre Dame RVM College of Cotabato in Cotabato City was in Manila for a meeting so she took advantage before her official duties had commenced and squeezed in a visit to LNMB.
Sis Remy has been a Noranian since God knows when.
“Maliit pa ako, Noranian na ako. Kahit bago at naging madre ako, si Nora na ang gusto ko (When I was a little girl, I was already a Noranian. Even before and after I made my vows, it was Nora whom I liked so much),” disclosed Sister Remy.
“Wala naman pong conflict sa pagiging religious ko at sa pagiging tagahanga ni (There’s no contradiction between my beliefs and being a fan of) Nora,” she clarified.
Until now, she has been watching Nora’s films online or buying or renting them no matter the earliest movies like “Carmela” or “Sitting in the Park,” the last one Sampaguita Pictures produced in 1967 with Guy in a cameo role.
If you go by its timeframe, this year is indeed a prelude to La Aunor’s Diamond Jubilee in show business.
Accordingly, entertainment journalist JC Nigado commented that the counting must start when Nora started her acting career when she shot the film and not its showing.
“Ang kuwenta kasi namin, ‘yong pagkapanalo niya sa (We compute it when she wonthe championship in) ‘Tawag ng Tanghalan’ which was in 1967,” explained Marie Cusi, another Nora diehard.
At the moment, Marie and her cohorts are preparing for nomination of Nora for National Artist for Music.
“Matrabaho lang (The only problem is that it entails too much work),” said Marie.
During the potluck lunch at the cemetery, another Noranian RVM nun, Sister Gee Agda joined the celebration with her fellow religious order member Sis Remy.
Unlike Villraiz, Agda stays in the RVM Manila convent.
“Noranian din po ako (I am also),” said Sis Gee whose name was adapted from one of Ate Guy’s earliest fantastic films, “Super Gee.”
Both Sisters Remy and Gee are avowed Nora fans whose veins flow Ate Guy’s blood.
(Boy Villasanta)