THE City of San Fernando, Pampanga community was ecstatic when the news announced that one of its beloved children, Fides Cuyugan Asensio, received the highest distinction as National Artist of the Philippines for Music.
While she may have been born in Quezon Province, Ms. Fides’s father, the renowned doctor Gervasio Santos Cuyugan was born and bred in San Fernando, Pampanga and belonged to the notable Cuyugan family. Dr. Cuyugan was a pensionado scholar who studied medicine in the United States and a contemporary of another illustrious Kapampangan Jose Abad Santos. Dr. Cuyugan became a topnotch surgeon, the director of the Tayabas General Hospital, and founded the Quezon Medical Society, aside from being President Manuel Quezon’s personal physician.
It was no wonder that Dom Martin Hizon Gomez, one of our eminent culturati in the city, hosted a testimonial luncheon in honor of Ms. Fides who happens to be the very first National Artist to come from the City of San Fernando. It was such a beautiful homecoming for one of our brightest stars on July 09, 2022 at the Bale Matua, the well-loved heritage home of the Hizon-Paras clan.
Dom Martin and his family brought together Pampanga province’s cultural advocates and civic and business leaders in the celebration as a tribute to Ms. Fides. Robby Tantingco of the HAU Center for Kapampangan Studies delivered a speech highlighting her contributions to the Philippines and the pride that she brought to her cabalens. The ever- supportive City of San Fernando Mayor Vilma Caluag personally awarded Ms. Fides a plaque of recognition and a handcrafted lantern on behalf of the people of San Fernando and was joined by Vice Mayor BJ Lagman. Pampanga Provincial Tourism Officer Randy Del Rosario gifted the honoree with Kapampangan delicacies and a Capiz lamp. Kapampangan designer Philip Torres presented Ms. Fides with his signature pidayit shawl while Dom Martin presented a plaque of appreciation for her, together with a Bambino de Aracoeli statuette. It was a generous outpouring of love and gratitude from the people of Pampanga.
Aside from our city and provincial officials, other attendees in the event included Ms. Fides’ student, Filipino soprano and poet Joscephine Gomez, heritage advocate Ivan Henares, highly respected women leaders Tess Laus, Dr. Letty Yap, Agnes Romero, Malou Garbes, Marion Garbes Lagman, tourism czar Dr. Bong Alvaro, film director Elwood Perez, Andy Alviz of ArtiStaRita, culinary icon Lilian Borromeo, and Erlie Gomez Manaloto’s Thursday group friends such as Marilou Santiago and Zeny Ongtioco. The Cuyugan family was represented by Ms. Fides’ cousin Vesta Cuyugan Fausto, Corazon Fausto Baluyut, Rouel Fausto, Riget Fausto, and actor Justin Cuyugan who starred with Fides in the upcoming film “A Thousand Tears.”
Tito Robby emphasized that it has been 40 years since the historical epic film “Oro, Plata, Mata” was released in 1982. This iconic Filipino cinema gem featured Ms. Fides as one of the main characters, that of Inday Lorenzo. Randy and I were chatting about the unforgettable slew of mahjong scenes, and perhaps will be one of our remembrances of Ms. Fides as a film actress. I hope that in the future, as a way of ensuring Ms. Fides’ legacy, that we will be able to bring her musicals to life in her beloved province of Pampanga.