The 15 Best Actresses of All Time

The fifth anniversary issue of S Magazine came up with the list of "Philippine Cinema’s 15 Best Actresses of All Time." One hundred respondents – directors, scriptwriters, critics, journalists, actors, moviegoers – were asked to name their all-time best actresses and the Top 15 were led by Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos, garnering 85 and 82 votes, respectively.

After all these years, it’s still Nora versus Vilma, forever rivals.

In third place was US-based Lolita Rodriguez with 57 votes.

The other best actresses: Charito Solis (52 votes), Hilda Koronel (50), Gloria Romero (45), Nida Blanca (40), Gina Alajar (40), Jaclyn Jose (40), Sharon Cuneta (37), Maricel Soriano (32), Lorna Tolentino (30), Amy Austria (25), Rita Gomez (23), Cherry Pie Picache (20).

So there, 15 all-time best actresses.

Surely, Funfare readers will not agree with all the choices of the S mag "jurors." But most likely, some of the names are on their favored list. They are free to express their "dissenting" or "concurring" opinions – to borrow a legal term used by the Supreme Court.

Why not conduct a similar survey on actors? S editor-in-chief Joseph Peter Gonzales says one will be made soon.

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Inang Yaya opens Nov. 29, which may well be considered Yaya’s Day. The movie, topbilled by Maricel Soriano, is about a loving and hardworking yaya torn between her daughter and ward, played by Tala Santos and Erika Oreta, respectively.

It’s about time we honor yayas, the same way we celebrate Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Youth Day, Veterans Day, Labor Day.

Without yayas, mommies and daddies will surely have a tough time coping with domestic duties.

The co-director and writer of Inang Yaya, Veronica Velasco, has a special child named Tess, who inspired her to write the movie script. She collaborated with husband Pablo Biglang-awa Jr. on directing Inang Yaya, which may well be a tribute to yayas here and abroad.

The most famous yaya has got to be Yaya Luring, who took care of Sharon Cuneta for decades. Yaya Luring is still with the Megastar, dressed in white with "matching" white hair. She’s already in her 70s. If Sharon’s around, Yaya Luring can’t be far behind – even in Boston, where Mega and husband Sen. Kiko Pangilinan stayed for two years. Kiko (then not yet a senator) took up Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Loren Legarda’s yaya is still with her.

When writer-publisher Roby Alampay tied the knot with Joy Flavier (only daughter of Sen. Juan Flavier) in 2000, he made his yaya one of the ninangs.

Come to think of it, heir to the British throne Prince William and his younger brother Prince Harry used to have a Filipina yaya, Lily Piccio of Bacolod City. Lily’s the sister of southern belle Buday Piccio.

Maricel Soriano said the yaya of her two sons, Maron and Tien, was her mother Linda.

In Inang Yaya, Maricel is an all-around yaya. Which she notes is rare nowadays. "Ngayon kanya-kanyang trabaho, may labandera, kusinera, taga-linis at yaya."

Co-stars Zoren Legaspi and Sunshine Cruz can’t do without a yaya – make that several yayas. Zoren (and live-in partner Carmina Villarroel) has twins, Casey and Mavy. Sunshine (and husband Cesar Montano) has three daughters.

Now, who is Hollywood’s most famous yaya? Of course, Julie Andrews – as Mary Poppins (which gave her an Oscar) and Maria in The Sound of Music. But then Ms. Andrews is called governess.

Inang Yaya is produced by Unitel, headed by Tony Gloria.

(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph)