FPJ’s family ready to accept National Artist award

Finally, the family of the late Fernando Poe Jr. will be receiving his National Artist award.

This as Movie and Television Review and Classification Board chairman Grace Poe-Llamanzares has declared readiness to accept the recognition for his father.

Llamanzares made the announcement at the launching of the commemorative stamps honoring FPJ at the Philippine Postal Corp. led by its Chairman of the Board of Directors Alfredo Gabot and officer in charge- postmaster general Antonio de Guzman.

The honor is appropriate, if not timely under the Aquino administration, the MTRCB chief said.

“Dahil napakapopular niyang president [President Noynoy Aquino] may mandato siya talaga ng taumbayan,” she added.

It can be recalled that the Poe family snubbed the ceremonies posthumously recognizing Poe as a National Artist when it was bestowed on the late actor by the Arroyo administration in 2006.

Poe ran and lost in the 2004 presidential elections to then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and died months later.

Llamanzares attended the launch of the first commemorative stamps honoring his father with her mother, veteran actress Susan Roces.

The appearance was a rare outing for Roces, who has largely avoided public events since FPJ died in December 2004, months after his controversial defeat at the presidential elections.

“This means a lot to our family,” Roces said during her speech at the event, which also marked the 227th anniversary of the Philippine postal service.

She pushed for traditional letter-writing in light of the popularity of mobile phones, email and the internet.

“Nothing can compare to the personal touch in writing letters, and the smell that goes with love letters,” said Roces, who admitted to collecting stamps.

Unveiled at the ceremony are stamps bearing images of FPJ in his iconic roles as “Panday,” “Totoy Bato” and “Pepeng Kaliwete,” among others.

The event also showcased a philatelic exhibit honoring National Artists Levi Celerio, Leonor Orosa-Goquingco, Carlos Quirino and Nick Joaquin. Llamanzares expressed joy in having his father remembered via the stamps.

“Kami po’y natutuwa kasi, akalain mo, ‘yung larawan ng iyong ama ay mapapaskil at makakaabot, hindi lamang dito sa ating bansa kundi sa ibang bansa rin. “ she said.

“So, para sa akin, ‘pag nakita ito ng mga kamag-anak namin sa ibang bansa, o kaya’y ng mga naging fans ni FPJ, ‘yung mga OFW [Overseas Filipino Workers], na nag-migrate na… Siyempre, kahit papa’no, may kurot sa puso, maaalala nila ang kanilang bayan,” she said.

“At malaking karangalan na ang simbolo ni FPJ ay simbolo din ng Pilipinas, kahit papaano,” she added.