Aling Miling: The woman behind Lea

(Last of three parts celebrating RW’s 23rd anniversary)

In the ‘60s and ‘70s, Lea Productions was acclaimed for its movies, mostly wholesome, but ‘daring and different’ every now and then.

The hardworking woman behind Lea was Mrs. Emilia Santos Blas (photo), more familiarly known as Aling Miling. Helping her run Lea was her younger sister, the dynamic Miss Teodorica Santos (Aling Toreng).

In the early ‘60s, Lea was distributor of films, shown in the family-owned theater in Malabon. In no time, Aling Miling and Aling Toreng were producing movies. One of its biggest hits was Maruja (1967), which starred Susan Roces and Romeo Vasquez.

Lea gave Lino Brocka his directorial break, Wanted: Perfect Mother (1970), which broke box-office records at the Manila Film Festival. It starred Boots Anson-Roa, Liza Lorena and Dante Rivero. Plus, child stars Ariosto Reyes, Gina Alajar, Arnold Gamboa and Snooky.

Dante was Lea’s signature actor, also cast opposite Susan Roces, Amalia Fuentes, Pilar Pilapil, Hilda Koronel, Rosemarie Sonora. He co-starred with Fernando Poe Jr. in the war picture Santiago, which gave 14-year-old Hilda the FAMAS Best Supporting Actress award, the youngest to be so honored.

Lino also directed for Lea the controversial Tubog sa Ginto, which tackled homosexuality, topbilled by Lolita Rodriguez, Eddie Garcia, Mario O’Hara and Jay Ilagan. Also Stardoom, which showed a young singer-actor’s ascent to stardom and eventual descent to stardom, portrayed by Walter Navarro.

But Lea produced mostly love stories and family entertainment flicks, which starred the likes of Dolphy, Helen Gamboa, Tirso Cruz III, Nora Aunor, Nida Blanca, Cocoy Laurel, Luis Gonzales, Elizabeth Oropesa, Ramon Revilla, Mildred Ortega, Marissa Delgado, Alicia Alonzo, Rudy Fernandez, Gloria Romero, Ronaldo Valdez and Ed Finlan. Its directors included Dandy Nadres, Ishmael Bernal, Celso Ad Castillo, Armando de Guzman and Romy Suzara.

In the ‘80s, Lea started slowing productions. One of its last films was Ano Ang Kulay ng Mukha ng Diyos, which marked Lino’s return to Lea after years of directing for other studios.

Sadly, most of Lea’s films were destroyed when its theater in Malabon was razed to the ground. Some years back Aling Miling and Aling Toreng died. The Blas children were not keen on moviemaking, marking the end of Lea.

Let it be said that Lea, under the leadership of Mrs. Emilia and Miss Teodorica Santos, contributed a lot to Philippine cinema. It discovered and built up directors, actors, writers and produced quality films.

The Film Academy of the Philippines or other movie organizations should honor them even if posthumously.                                            — RKC