FILM and art critic and teacher Justiniano “Gino” Dormiendo passed away early Monday. He was 68.
Elsie Dormiendo, the writer’s sister, said Dormiendo had a stroke on Jan. 3 and was rushed to the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center in Marikina where he was pronounced dead at 3 a.m. on Jan. 4.
Dormiendo was a founding member of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, along with National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera and former Cultural of the Philippines Artistic Director and MTRCB Chair Nicanor Tiongson Jr.
The Manunuri hands out the Gawad Urian, the award for excellence for filmmaking from the society of film critics.
Dormiendo was also an art critic. He also taught at the Ateneo de Manila University and University of the Philippines.
A native of Calbayog City, Samar, Dormiendo also wrote a book on herbal medicine and indigenous healing, “Doon Po sa Amin, May Healer na Magaling” (1993).
Dormiendo’s remains now lie in state at Loyala Memorial Chapel in Marikina. Interment will be announced later. Lito B. Zulueta