Tribute to ‘Da King’: Fernando Poe Jr.’s statue unveiled in Batangas

Senator Grace Poe and her son Panday Bayanihan Foundation Chairperson Brian Poe Lamanzares lead the presentation of the statue of Ferdinand Poe Jr. in Batangas on Tuesday, August 20, 2024. (Photo from Senator Grace Poe/Facebook)

A statue of the late National Artist Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ) was recently unveiled at the FPJ Sports Arena in San Jose, Batangas to mark the 85th birth anniversary of the late “King of Philippine Movies,” who is fondly called by the masses as “Da King.”

The bronze statue was presented by Senator Grace Poe and her son, Panday Bayanihan Foundation Chairperson Brian Poe Lamanzares, on August 20, Tuesday. According to Poe, the statue is a reminder of the FPJ’s aspirations for his fellow citizens.

“Physical reminder ito na nandyan talaga si FPJ para sa ating mga kababayan, sa mga fans, at sa mga bibisita sa Batangas. Lagi siyang magsisilbing inspirasyon ng pagtulong at paggawa ng mabuti sa kapwa,” said the senator.

(This is a physical reminder that FPJ is here for our fellow citizens, fans, and those that will visit Batangas. He will always serve as an inspiration in helping and doing good deeds for others.)

The sculpture, made by Jordan Mendoza from Pasig City, towered most men standing atop a stone platform. The statue itself was close to five-feet-tall painted in cast metal, capturing FPJ’s signature stance in his jacket and pants, with a gun peeking from a holster at his waist, and a stern look on its face.

“Makikita rin sa statue na nasa gilid ‘yung kamay nya sa may lalagyan ng baril. Pero ang sabi ng mga nakausap natin, nagpapakita raw ito na nakahanda siyang bumunot, hindi ng baril, kundi ng tulong para sa ating mga kababayan,” Poe added.

(You can see in the statue that his hand is inside the gun pocket. But what others say, this shows that he is ready to pull, not a gun, but a helping hand for our citizens.)

Born Ronald Allan Kelley Poe, FPJ was born on Aug. 20, 1939 and died of a stroke on Dec. 14, 2004, while awaiting the result of an election protest that he filed following the 2004 presidential elections that saw him head-to-head with incumbent Gloria Arroyo.

Eight years later, he was posthumously conferred the National Artist medal by Arroyo’s successor, President Noynoy Aquino III in August 2012, by virtue of Proclamation 435. The same award was initially offered by Arroyo in 2006, but it was turned down by his family in protest of what they considered to be a fraud-fraught election result.

A statue of FPJ was also built in Roxas Boulevard in December 2012, in time for his eight death anniversary. He died months after the 2004 elections where he ran for President against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.