Celebrities flocked to the Heritage Park in Taguig City Thursday night, April 17, to honor the memory of the late National Artist Nora Aunor.
Coco Martin, Julia Montes, and other stars paid tribute to the Superstar, remembering her not just as a legend, but as a friend and mentor. “Si Ate Guy, hindi lang namin naka-trabaho—naramdaman namin siya bilang nanay,” Martin said. “Nagpapasalamat kami sa lahat ng naiambag niya sa industriya.”
Montes echoed the grief of many fans: “Siguro kung gaano kami kalungkot, ganoon din kalungkot ang mga fans. Pagdasal natin siya kasi nasa langit na siya kasama ng Panginoon.”
Veteran singer Imelda Papin, teary-eyed, shared how she was one of the few who knew about Aunor’s recent surgery. “We were texting every day. Hindi ako makapaniwala na nawala siya kagabi… She is the one and only Superstar.”
Actor Jeric Gonzales recalled how Aunor calmed his nerves on the set of Dementia: “Sabi niya, ‘Halika anak, yakapin mo muna ako para mawala ang kaba mo.’”
Among those spotted at the wake were Vilma Santos, Ricky Lee, Robin Padilla, Nadia Montenegro, Jericho Rosales, and Gina Alajar, all paying respects to the woman they revered as a giant of Philippine cinema.