Image: Facebook/Direk Toto Natividad
Veteran action movie director Toto Natividad has died today, April 27, Navotas City mayor Toby Tiangco announced.
“Ikinalulungkot po nating ibalita ang pagpanaw ni Kap. Toto Natividad,” Tiangco said as he saluted Natividad on his Facebook page today, April 27. (I am saddened to announce the death of Toto Natividad.)
The director served as a barangay captain in North Bay Boulevard South Kaunlaran, Navotas.
“Isa na namang masipag na serbisyo publiko at matapat na katuwang ng pamahalaang lungsod sa paglaban sa pandemya ang nawala sa atin,” Tiangco added. (Another hardworking public servant and colleague in the city government fighting the pandemic has been taken away from us.)
The cause of Natividad’s death was not disclosed but his family set up a GoFundMe page on April 22, saying he was diagnosed with COVID-19 and pneumonia.
“He is still in the ICU and currently intubated,” the family stated through the fundraiser page. “He also suffered from cytokines storm and acute renal failure.”
His son John Isaac also asked for help in finding a hospital for Natividad last week, April 20. He expressed their struggle in getting medical care for their father.
“Kailangan po maconfine ni papa sa ospital. Nahihirapan po kami ngayon makahanap ng ospital dahil puno po lahat,” John Isaac said. (Papa needs to be confined at a hospital. We’re struggling to find a hospital because they no longer have space for patients.)
TBA Studios’ Crisanto Aquino, who was an assistant director for “Heneral Luna” and “Goyo,” mourned Natividad’s death.
“We lost another pillar in the industry. Paalam (Goodbye) Direk Toto Natividad,” Aquino said on his Facebook page today.
Natividad is best remembered for directing action movies that starred the likes of the late Eddie Garcia, Cesar Montano, Ian Veneracion and Victor Neri, among many others.
His films include “Riding in Tandem,” “Bilang na ang Araw mo,” “Sanggano” and “Wangbu.” He also directed teleseryes such as “Cain at Abel,” “Palos” and “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.” JB
RELATED STORIES:
TV5 to start airing 4 ABS-CBN primetime programs
Coco Martin, ‘Ang Probinsyano’ and ‘Magandang Buhay’ stars undergo COVID-19 rapid testing