MANILA, Philippines – Just like his movies, Fernando “Da King” Poe Jr. (FPJ) remains a crowd-drawer even in death.
“Madalas po naaantala yung libing dito dahil yung mga kamag-anak nung patay mas nauuna pang puntahan ang puntod ni FPJ bago makipaglibing (The memorial service is often delayed because the mourners and relatives of the deceased would go to FPJ’s grave first.),” says Aling Gigie delos Santos, the mausoleum’s caretaker.
In fact, there was an instance when the widow screamed at the mourners during interment rites out of disgust.
“The mourners saw me locking up the gate so they all rushed here in the middle of the ceremony. They just couldn’t wait to have their souvenir photo taken with Da King,” she says, laughing.
The last farewell
A few days before he died on Dec. 14, 2005, National Artist Fernando Poe Jr. (whose real name was Ronald Allan Kelley Poe) visited his parents’ — Fernando Reyes Poe and Bessie Kelley Poe — graves in the family plot at the Manila North Cemetery.
His two brothers, actor Andy Poe, whose real name was Fernando Poe Jr., and Conrad Poe, are also buried here.
After saying a prayer, FPJ then approached Aling Gigie and informed her of his plans to have the area renovated.
“It had been years since it had a makeover. The gravesite was surrounded with plants before and it was so hard to maintain especially since water was scarce in the area,” recalls Aling Gigie.
FPJ went back to the row of niches in the mausoleum and touched each one before he left.
“It was the first time I saw him do that. Parang nagpapaalam si Sir,” notes Aling Gigie.
And then FPJ made a promise: “Aayusin natin lahat ‘yan pagbalik ko (We’ll fix everything when I get back).”
“Da King” kept good on his promise. But when he returned, he stayed there for good.
“I had no idea that would be my last conversation with him. I was shocked and sad when I learned of his passing,” notes Aling Gigie.
Her sentiments were shared by FPJ’s legions of fans who trooped to North Cemetery (now called Manila North Cemetery) on Dec. 22, 2005 to pay their last respects to Da King.
Mourning for movie icon Fernando Poe Jr. cuts across social strata — from the posh villages to the nation’s heartland where he touched so many lives, and where FPJ’s greatest strength lay.
FPJ’S resting place
Situated at the 24th St. corner 2nd St. of the Manila North Cemetery, the Poe mausoleum is painted in white, FPJ’s favorite color. His tomb, which is made of white granite, stands out from the rest. A tarpaulin bearing his photo hangs on the wall, right beside his grave.
“When FPJ died, his widow Susan Roces, daughter Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares, and siblings took care of the mausoleum’s renovation,” relates Aling Gigie.
Beige tiles now cover the floor and walls of the mausoleum. A gate was installed not to prevent people from coming in but to keep the area neat and tidy.
“As per Ma’am Susan’s instructions, everyone is welcome here. They can bring flowers and candles for FPJ. All she asks is for the visitors to respect FPJ’s grave. Sitting or lying on his niche is prevented,” Aling Gigie explains.
FPJ is undoubtedly the most popular “resident” of Manila North Cemetery, touted as the biggest and one of the oldest cemeteries in Metro Manila.
Long live “da king”
Five years after his death, FPJ’s memory lives on in the hearts of the people he touched.
“Fans visit his grave for no reason at all. For All Saints’ Day, we expect the numbers to triple,” says Salvador “Badong” Velasco, OIC of Manila North Cemetery. “Security wise, Manila North Cemetery is ready for the influx of visitors.”
Mang Badong was right. When we went at the Poe Mausoleum for an interview with Aling Gigie, we were greeted by FPJ’s avid fans, some coming from as far as Morong, Bataan.
“Yesterday a family from Bagong Silang, Caloocan came here to offer candles and prayers for Da King,” shares Raymond Jopia, security officer, Manila North Cemetery.
One of FPJ’s avid fans hogged the headlines last year when she claimed that she had seen her idol “come back to life.”
“She said that a man who looked, moved and dressed like FPJ ‘walked’ out of the tarpaulin hanging by the wall of his tomb. She even captured the incident using her cell phone camera,” recalls Aling Gigie.
FPJ still apparently walks among his fans, even from his grave.