Mahal with Ai-Ai delas Alas, Rosanna Roces and Kiray Celis. Image: Instagram/@msaiaidelasalas, @therealrosannaroces, Facebook/Kiray Celis
Ai-Ai delas Alas, Rosanna Roces, Kiray Celis and their fellow celebrities were among those who grieved over the death of comedian Mahal. She passed away yesterday, Aug. 31.
Mahal, whose real name is Noeme Tesorero, was 46 years old. She tested positive for COVID-19 and her death was confirmed by comedienne and close friend Brenda Mage.
Delas Alas admitted she was shocked by the comedian’s death, as she recalled her friendship with Mahal. The actress showed a video of Mahal having a meal with her friends Jason Francisco and John Vic de Guzman on her Instagram page, also yesterday.
“Kanina hindi pa nag-sink in sa ‘kin na wala ka na pero nung pinanood ko to, ayan naiyak na’ko,” she addressed Mahal. “Rest in peace, Mahal. Nawalan ako ng isang barkada sa industriya.”
(The news of your death did not sink in right away for me, but when I saw this video, I cried. Rest in peace, Mahal. I lost a friend in the industry.)
Celis also showed photos with Mahal while recalling the moments she spent with the actress, through her Facebook page on the same day.
“Sa liit na panahon na nakasama kita, ganun naman kalaki ang naibigay mong saya sa puso ko. Ayoko isipin, ayoko tanggapin, ayokong maniwala Ate Noeme,” she said. (In the little time we had together, you gave my heart a huge joy. I don’t want to think about it, accept it or believe it, Ate Noeme.)
Meanwhile, Roces said she was grateful for the opportunity to have been able to work with Mahal.
“Isang napakalungkot na balita. Salamat sa pagkakataong makasama at makatrabaho ka. Uwi na kay Lord, Mahal,” Roces said while showing behind-the-scenes photos with Mahal on her Instagram page yesterday.
(Very sad news. Thank you for the opportunity to spend time and work with you. Come home to the Lord, Mahal.)
Mahal’s “Owe My Love” co-star Benjamin Alves also recalled the comedian’s “aura” when filming, as he showed a photo with her on his Facebook page.
“I will miss your laugh and your aura [on] set. Wala kang moment, kahit late na or pagod na tayo, na di ka nakasmile. (You had no moments, whether late or tired, where you weren’t smiling.) It was an honor to share a scene with you. We love you forever Ate Mahal!” he addressed the late actress.
Janice de Belen, who worked with Mahal in the 1991 film “Anak ni Janice,” meanwhile paid tribute to the comedian by showing the movie’s poster on her Instagram Story also yesterday.
Image: Instagram/@super_janice
Other celebrities who also paid tribute to Mahal were impersonator KaladKaren Davila, actor Ken Chan and comedian Jerald Napoles.
Mahal rose to fame in the 1990s and early 2000s. She was part of ABS-CBN’s former noontime show “Magandang Tanghali Bayan” and played the alien “Kokey” in 1997. Her most recent project was the TV series “Owe My Love,” which ran from February to June this year.
She also became a vlogger with over 500,000 subscribers. One of her most recent videos featured her long-time on-screen partner Mura. The video has garnered more than 1.9 million views, as of this writing. JB
RELATED STORIES:
Ate Shawee, impersonator and stand-up comedian, dies at 45
Amy Perez pays tribute to former co-host Hans Mortel: ‘My favorite sawsawero’