Coney Reyes and Mely Tagasa (Instagram/@coneyreyes)
Veteran actress Coney Reyes posts her farewell message to her “Nanay” in showbiz, the late actress Mely Tagasa who died Saturday morning. She was in a coma for a week after suffering a stroke.
She wrote, “Paalam, Nanay Ateng ko! (Mely Tagasa/ Ms. Tapia! ) Alam ko super saya ka na diyan sa langit! I can just imagine how happy you are now worshipping our Father in heaven with all the saints and angels! Maraming Salamat sa pagmamahal at mga panalangin! Thank you for being there for me, praying with me, fasting for me, listening to me during the darkest and lowest moments of my life. Thank you for praying and fasting for me so that i may completely surrender my life to Jesus! Mahal na mahal kita! Hinding hindi kita malilimutan. I thank God for the reassurance that one day, in His perfect time, we shall see each other again! #MelyTagasa #MsTapia#AtengMely April 16, 1935 – March 24, 2018 @ginatagasa.”
More popularly known as the terror teacher Miss Tapia who was the ill-tempered old professor at Wanbol University, Tagasa’s portrayal of the iconic character had her cemented into the pop culture until this day.
She would always get into the nerves of the bully Escalera brothers played by comedians Joey De Leon and Tito Sotto. Although every inch a terror to the eyes of her students, Miss Tapia also had a soft spot—holding a secret crush on Joey Escalera.
The show had a long run spanning airtime from 1977-1990. It aired just about the same time when longest-running noontime program “Eat Bulaga” debuted on television.
Reyes, for a time, became a mainstay in the show and thereafter had a relationship with Vic Sotto to which she had a son named Vico. /jpv