Then and now, street children are with us and the subject of movies and television dramas. In 1948, Ricardo Brillantes and Mona Lisa starred in a film titled Batang Lansangan, with Fernando Royo and Pacita del Rio as contravida.
The young stars of the movie were not identified but simply billed as ‘at ang mga Batang Lansangan.’
In the ‘50s, Mona Lisa retired from showbiz but made a comeback in the late ‘70s via Joey Gosiengfiao’s La Paloma and Lino Brocka’s Insiang.
Insiang gave her a Best Supporting Actress award. Mona Lisa appeared in other Brocka films, including Cain at Abel and Kapit sa Patalim. —RKC