Recognized as one of the matriarchs of the Philippine Movie Industry, Maria Azucena Vera-Perez Maceda–affectionately known as “Manay Ichu”–died Monday at age of 77.
In an official statement sent out to news outlets by the Vera-Perez and Maceda families, the wife of the late statesman and senator Ernesto “Ernie” Maceda succumbed to cardio respiratory failure. She is survived by her five sons Emmanuel, Ernesto Jr., Erwin, Edmond and Edward.
Maceda’s nephew Rep. Christopher De Venecia–son of Maceda’s sister Gina De Venecia–paid tribute to his aunt on Facebook, writing, “Mami-miss kita nang tahasan Mama Tutu. Isang haligi ng industriya ng pelikulang Pilipino na nag-alaga at nag-aruga sa akin sa aking paglaki, hanggang sa aking pagtanda. Mahal na mahal ka namin. Rest in love, rest in power, and rest in peace Mama Tutu. Ngayo’y malaya ka na sa sakit at karamdaman. Ipagpapatuloy namin ang iyong nasimulan at ang legacy ng Vera Perez family.”
Meanwhile, actor and Senate President Vicente Sotto 3rd also mourned Maceda’s passing through his Twitter account and said, “Our Beloved Manay Ichu will now rest at the bosom of the Lord our God. The movie industry will never be the same. We owe her a lot. We love her deeply.”
Maceda grew up in the realm of show business with Jose Vera-Perez, founder of Sampaguita Pictures, for a father. The family company is a trailblazer in Filipino movie production and considered to be the country’s biggest and leading film outfit from the 1930s to the early 1980s. Under her watch, critically acclaimed movies such as “Dyesebel” (1979) and “Batch ’81” (1982) emerged, which today are firmly etched in Filipino pop culture.
Besides producing movies, Maceda was revered as an industry matriarch for she also helped establish film-related agencies such as the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation (Mowelfund), the Film Developmental Council of the Philippines, the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), the Film Academy of the Philippines, the Philippine Motion Picture Producers Association (PMPPA), and the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines (ECP), among others. She further headed the International Film Festival Committee (IFFCOM) at one point in her very productive career.
In June 2018, FDCP led by its Chairman and The Sunday Times Magazine columninst Liza Diño honored Maceda in a momentous event titled “A Spotlight on Mothers of Philippine Cinema.”
In receiving her Ina ng Pelikulang Pilipino recognition, Maceda’s speech laid out the lessons she learned in the industry for others to benefit.
“Remember that aside from being an art form, this is basically a business, so you have to at least break even so you can recover your investment and produce the second film. Para que pa kayo magpoproduce ng bagong pelikula (kung) kayo lang ang nakakaintindi, wala namang manonood? Hindi na kayo makakagawa ng pangalawang pelikula, tandaan nyo yan. Never make a film solely to satisfy yourself. Make your film for a wide audience,” she declared.
More poignantly, she also bade both creatives and movie entrepreneurs that one must love the industry without expecting any in return.
“Love your craft and love the industry. Don’t expect anything back aside from your investment of course. Huwag mong asahang ibalik kaagad sa’yo ang ipinakita mong pagmamahal sapagkat balang araw babalik yan sa inyo tulad ng tinatamasa ko ngayon.”
A mass will be held for Maceda Monday evening, 6 p.m. at Arlington Chapel A, after which her remains will be cremated immediately. Her ashes will then be inurned at the Sampaguita Chapel beginning Tuesday, September 8 at 1 p.m. until her family decides on their final plans.
Meanwhile, the Vera Perez and Maceda families request that in in lieu of flowers for their beloved matriarch, donations may be made in her honor to MOWELFUND.
