Lawmakers honor Dolphy, want him called National Artist
OF GAGS AND GREATNESS Filipinos, wherever they are, got their best medicine—laughter—in large doses for the past 70 years from the man known off-screen as Rodolfo Vera Quizon but Dolphy to one and all, young and old. INQUIRER PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Several lawmakers expressed, on Wednesday, their sympathy to the family of “Comedy King” Dolphy and filed a resolution paying tribute to the man who had brought smiles and laughter to millions of Filipnos for more than six decades.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said his family joined the rest of the nation in morning the passing of Dolphy.
“We condole with his family and likewise express our gratitude and respect for his talent and gift of laughter to Filipinos of different generations and from all walks of life,” Belmonte said.
In House Resolution No. 2552, Bacolod Representative Anthony Rolando Golez, Jr. said Dolphy, whose real name was Rodolfo Quizon, was truly a “Philippine movie icon” and had made hundreds of films and TV shows that touched millions of Filipinos.
Dolphy passed away on July 10, 2012 at 8:34 p.m. after suffering from a lingering illness.
“Mang Dolphy will forever be in the hearts of Filipinos. I hope that the family he left will find solace with the fact that the entire country is grieving because of the loss of their patriarch,” Golez said.
He said the House of Representatives should adopt a resolution to pay homage to the man who had made life lighter for the audience, albeit temporarily.
Golez also said that the portfolio of Dolphy’s works in film and television has been a major part of Philppine culture.
The resolution cited several of Dolphy’s television shows and movies such as John en Marsha, Home Along da Riles, Facifica Falayfay, Markova: Comfort Gay, Espadang Patpat, Omeng Satanasia and Jack en Jill. Dolphy was also named by the Cultural Center of the Philippines as one of the 100 Most Influential Artists of the Century in 1999.
“The Filipinos will surely miss Dolphy but will absolutely not forget the contributions he made to Philippine culture,” he added.
House Deputy Minority Leader Milagros Magsaysay said Dolphy was among the pillars of the Philippine entertainment industry and was loved by many not only because he was able to make people laugh but because he connected to them as a sincere person.
Magsaysay said that Dolphy had helped many people along the way in and out of the industry as could be attested to by those whose lives he has changed.
“Dolphy lived a full life and he has been instrumental in making life better for many of his fans, his friends and his family. He will always be remembered as one of the country’s icons in the years to come,” Magsaysay, a representative of Zambales, said.
She said Dolphy should serve as an inspiration to all Filipinos not only because of his artistry but in being a good person, his humility and open heart that transcended his characters in the big screen. “He is one of a kind and even though he has not reaped the honor of being declared as a national artist while he was alive, the honor has already been bestowed on him in the hearts of Filipinos all over the world,” Magsaysay said.
“The name Dolphy is synonymous to positivity and laughter and that is the most precious gift that he has left us all,” she added.
Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Representative Bernadette Herrera-Dy said the public outpouring of love and sympathy to Dolphy’s family by nearly every Filipino was a glaring indication of how deeply they admire him for the laughter and joy he had brought to them for decades.
“The whole country mourns his demise but the grief, we believe, can only be assuaged if Dolphy is finally distinguished as a National Artist – an honor that he unquestionably deserves. Dolphy as a national artist must never be considered a debatable issue,” Herrera-Dy said.
Bayan Muna Representative Teodoro Casiño said that Dolphy was an excellent comedian who played characters strived to reflect the love and laughter in the lives of the ordinary Filipino.
Casiño said that as a kid, he remembered eagerly awaiting his old black & white movies on afternoon TV and watching the travails of John & Marsha.
“Today we mourn and shed tears for someone who filled our lives with so much laughter. Maraming salamat Dolphy (thank you very much, Dolphy),” he said.
Quezon City Representative Winston Castelo said Dolphy was a “comedy genius.”
Castelo urged the government to confer on Dolphy, albeit posthumously, the coveted “National Artist” award as recognition of Dolphy’s accomplishments and achievements as an outstanding comedian and entertainer.
“Dolphy was an outstanding comedian and entertainer, who made us laugh even in the best and worst of times. He was natural and spontaneous, but thoroughly effortless in producing what could be regarded the typical Filipino humor,” Castelo said.
“Dolphy had regaled us with his jokes, antics, and humorous ways for seven decades, endearing him not just to the best and the brightest among us, but to the broad masses of people, including the poor and downtrodden. Despite his accomplishments, Dolphy had remained humble and unassuming, and truly a man of the people,” he stressed.
Castelo said that Dolphy had shown what true humor was.
Quoting American writer Mark Twain, Castelo said that Dolphy was a true comedian who made the audience laugh without necessarily insulting anybody.
“As a martial law baby myself, I grew up watching – and, of course, laughing – with my parents and siblings Dolphy’s movies and television programs, as he provided the respite from all stresses of day-to-day living,” Castelo said.
Former President and Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo condoled, on Wednesday, with the family and the nation for the passing of Dolphy.
In a statement released from Veterans Memorial Medical Center, Arroyo said: “The whole nation’s grief for Mang Dolphy signifies that we are a nation of one destined for greatness. He was a gift by the Almighty and we will be forever grateful to both for bringing sunshine to our lives.”
Arroyo also sent flowers to the wake.
