Hurt over National Artist snub, Nora Aunor thanks supporters: 'Iniluklok nila ako sa kanilang mga puso'

Filipino film icon Nora Aunor spoke up about the controversy over her exclusion from this year's list of National Artist awardees, admitting that she was hurt by the snub from Malacañang.

 

"Inaamin ko pong nasaktan ako sa nangyari," said Aunor in a statement coursed through screenwriter Ricky Lee, who wrote the movie "Himala" which featured perhaps the actress' most iconic role.

 

But Aunor added that she has been heartened by the overflow of support from fans, supporters, and industry observers over the controversy.

 

"Pero ang dagsa ng suporta na nakita ko at naramdaman mula sa aking mga kababayan—mga katrabaho ko sa industriya, mga fans at mga kaibigan, mga pari at madre, mga guro at iba pang taga-akademya, mga taga-media, mga National Artists, mga pangkaraniwang mamamayan dito at sa ibang bansa—ay sapat-sapat na upang maramdaman kong maski wala mang tropeo o karangalang igawad sa akin ang mga nasa kapangyarihan, iniluklok naman ako ng mga kababayan ko, habang buhay sa kanilang mga puso, bilang isang artista ng bayan.

 

"Para sa akin po ay mas totoo at mas masarap ang karangalang ito dahil taos-pusong nanggagaling sa mga taong siyang dahilan kung bakit ako nagpapakabuti bilang isang artista—ang mga mamamayang Pilipino."

 

Aunor was among the final nominees for the award by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), but was ommitted from the final list signed by President Benigno Aquino III.

 

“It is the duty of the President to decide on who among the shortlisted nominees deserve to be conferred the Order of the National Artist. In making the decision, the President considered how each of the nominees measured up to the criteria for choice,” Communications Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said in an interview over government-run dzRB last June 22.

 

The decision caused an uproar among fans, media observers, and film personalities alike, with author Bino A. Realuyo calling her "the greatest Filipino actor of all time" in an essay published on Huffington Post and GMA News Online.

 

In her statement, Aunor thanked her supporters for giving her strength.

 

“Ang pagsuportang ito ang lalong nagbibigay ng lakas ng loob sa akin, at ng walang kapantay na inspirasyon, upang lalo kong pagbutihin ang aking sining, upang lalo akong sipagin sa pagbabahagi ng kung anumang talento meron ako, at upang lalo ko pang pag-ibayuhin na maging isang mabuti at marangal mamamayang Pilipino," she said.

 

“Maraming salamat po at pagpalain po kayo ng Diyos.” —JST, GMA News