NEGRENSES mourned the death of Philippine movie icon Susan Roces, who was from Bacolod City.
Roces, whose real name was Jesusa Purificacion Levy Sonora-Poe, died of cardio-pulmonary arrest late Friday night, May 20. She was 80 years old.
In a statement, the La Consolacion College-Bacolod (LCC-B), where Roces graduated high school in 1956, expressed sympathy to her grieving family.
They said that her last visit to the institution was in 2019 when she was awarded the Centennial Legacy Award for Excellence in Culture and the Arts during its 100th Founding Anniversary.
Her fellow LCCian, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, also expressed his sincerest sympathies to Roces' family, saying her demise left a "void in the hearts of millions of her fans and admirers, who followed her showbiz career that spanned almost seven decades."
"She was a student of my elder sister, Ninfa. Growing up in our beloved city, she brought honors to Bacolod as she embarked on a movie career when she was only 14 years old," Leonardia said.
In one of the gatherings of LCCians some years back, the mayor recalled, he was seated next to her as a former alumni president.
The deceased actress was a very warm and endearing person despite her celebrity status -- a cinema icon and a valuable pillar of the Philippine movie industry, Leonardia said.
He stressed that both Roces and her late husband, Fernando Poe Jr., often referred to as "Da King," are, indeed, national treasures, whose contributions are as invaluable as their talents.
"As she departs to the great beyond to be with our mighty Creator, I am certain that Senator Grace Poe and her children will be comforted by the love and prayers of the millions who mourn her passing," the mayor added.
For his part, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the province, together with the entire country, mourns over the loss of Roces.
"Negros Occidental will always be honored and proud that the Queen of Philippine Movies was one of our own. The province lost an outstanding daughter," Lacson said.
He described Roces as committed and someone whose passionate dedication to her craft and her timeless grace will always be remembered.