The year that was

(Part 1)

I was going to wait until after Christmas to make a full assessment of 2009, but the Mayon Volcano is acting up and, as of this writing, threatening to explode. If it does explode before year end, that would be this roller coaster year’s ultimate punctuation. As a friend said, that explosion would pretty much sum up the year that was.

Off the top of the head, I can think of a handful of incomparable tragedies we’ve had to survive or live with this year. Then, there are the many significant departures, like that of former Pres. Corazon Aquino, which, to everyone’s surprise, reshaped the political landscape significantly. Suffice it to say that 2009’s been very, very busy.

Celebrity deaths

If 2009 was busy, I’d say June was one of its busiest months, with its series of international celebrity deaths that sent the many people, especially those my age, reeling. There was David Carradine’s death due to a “sex accident” in a hotel in Bangkok, Thailand on June 3. My generation and the generation before mine remembers Carradine as the half-Chinese, half-Caucasian Shaolin monk Kwai Chang Caine, or “Grasshopper,” in the popular series Kung Fu. But he’s now probably better known as Bill in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill films.

Then, there was the death of former Charlie’s Angels star and international sex symbol Farah Fawcett due to cancer on June 25. I was too young to be worried about my own hairstyles, but I grew up observing young women trying to copy her trademark curls, never mind if theirs were a far cry from her figure.

Fawcett’s death was immediately eclipsed by a bigger one: that of the King of Pop, Michael Jackon, on the same day. He was our generation’s Elvis Presley, a great entertainer who managed to cross racial barriers. His death has been ruled a homicide, having been administered heavy prescription drugs that triggered cardiac arrest.

This month, the exodus continued with Brittany Murphy’s shocking death from cardiac arrest on December 20. Reports say she appears to have died of natural causes—she had exhibited flu-like symptoms—but the toxicology results aren’t out yet.

On the local front, King of Pinoy Rap Francis Magalona passed away on March 6, due to leukemia. He left an unfinished project with former Eraserheads frontman Ely Buendia and a legacy of “Proud to be Pinoy” cool.

Talent manager Douglas Quijano died of a heart attack on June 13, leaving behind a stable of the country’s biggest stars, which included, past and present, Richard Gomez, John Estrada, Joey Marquez, Wendell Ramos, Antonio Aquitania, Anjo Yllana, Gelli de Belen, Jay Aquitania, Benj Basa, and Richard Gutierrez.

Former President Aquino died on August 1 due to colon cancer. Her death revived the People Power spirit and propelled son Sen. Noynoy Aquino, who used to be a political wallflower, to the forefront of the presidential race. If survey results prove to be accurate, he will be the next president of the Philippines.

Then, respected actor Johnny Delgado passed away on November 19, also due to cancer, this time of the immune system. He was a very talented performer and, with his death, a light has been switched off in the Philippine entertainment industry.

More recently, Sharon Cuneta’s white-haired Yaya Luring, who has taken care of her for around 40 years, died of cardiac arrest on December 20. Yaya Luring had become almost as famous as her megastar ward, so much so that she even had her own TV commercial. Sharon is understandably so affected; she wasn’t able to make it to the premiere of her Metro Manila Film Festival entry, Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love.. Her daughter KC Concepcion and husband Sen. Francis Pangilinan were there as her proxies.

Of course, 2009 wasn’t just about deaths, and we’ll eventually get to the good parts next week. I’m a bit unnerved by the passing of so many icons, but I’m also awed at the space they’ve left behind for others to fill.

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