Lea Salonga thinks Dolphy is more worthy of National Artist title than her

(From left) Lea Salonga and Dolphy. Images: Instagram/@thesorayastage, FILE PHOTO

While Lea Salonga is aware of the calls pushing her to be named a National Artist, she pointed out that she would rather champion the late Dolphy, noting his huge contributions to the industry.

Salonga said she believes that the late comedian-actor is more worthy of the National Artist title than herself, saying his recognition is “long overdue.”

“No, no, no! There are folks who [are] far more deserving [than me] and whose National Artist Awards are long overdue. I would love to see somebody like Dolphy, for example, because we have to judge him as an artist for his body of work,” she told TV5 on the sidelines of the 2024 CCP Gawad Para sa Sining awards ceremony.

The award-winning theater actress also noted Dolphy’s films where he portrayed a gay man, including “Fefita Fofonggay viuda de Falayfay (1973),” “Sarhento Fofonggay: A, ewan! (1974),” “Ang Tatay Kong Nanay (1978),” and “Markova: Comfort Gay (2001).”

“He has contributed so much—even the movies where he’s cross-dressing. It lends so much tolerance and acceptance [to] the LGBTQIA+ community. Even if that was not his intention at the time. That was an effect, an after-effect, I don’t think he even foresaw,” Salonga said.

With this in mind, the “Miss Saigon” star said she’s looking forward to an opportunity to campaign for a recognition to the late comedian-actor.

“That’s just an example of why he should be heralded first. Hopefully, I will be given an opportunity to champion him,” she said.

September was a month full of milestones for Salonga. She was recognized by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) at the 2024 CCP Gawad Para sa Sining, and her wax figure was unveiled to the public at a wax museum in Singapore.

The actress-singer is set to appear in an episode of “Finding Your Roots” and will release her new album “Sounding Joy” in November.

Also part of Salonga’s next round of activities for the rest of 2024 are “Request Sa Radyo” in October where she is one of the alternate leads, with Dolly de Leon, and the staging of her “Stage, Screen and Everything In Between” concert a month later.