Tita Midz: The actress, the person

During the 15th Gawad Urian of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino in April 1992, Armida Siguion-Reyna wowed audiences at the Cultural Center of the Philippines when she performed Sampaguita’s Bonggahan along with Nolyn Cabahug and the APO. Yes, she went rock ‘n rolling — and that will always be among the Gawad Urian’s most highly-applauded production numbers.

When the 33rd Gawad Urian is staged on April 29 at the Cine Adarna at the University of the Philippines campus (Cinema One is covering the awards night for television), Armida will be honored with the Natatanging Gawad Urian — no, not for that particular number she did for the Manunuri members, but for all her contributions in the various fields of the movie-making business. Below, let’s recall some of Armida’s significant achievements as an actress.

Armida Siguion-Reyna’s career as a performing artist began on stage where she sang operatic songs. Not everyone became a fan of her singing, however, and she got it from theater/music critic Morli Daram.

Disheartened, she shifted to television and produced Aawitan Kita — a brilliant decision because it is on record one of the longest-running shows in the history of Philippine television. Running for close to three decades Aawitan Kita will always be remembered for its production values and had been a consistent winner for Best Cultural Program from the old days of the Citizens’ Awards for Television (CAT) to the present generation Star Awards for TV. Aawitan Kita will forever be cited not only for its top quality production, but also for pushing and preserving classic Filipino songs in the Pinoy consciousness.

And thanks to her weekly exposure in Aawitan Kita, it became easy for Armida to make the transition into the big screen as an actress. This was in the 1975 production of Sa Pagitan ng Dalawang Langit, a love triangle that featured Dante Rivero, Gina Pareño and the previous year’s Miss Aruba (for the Miss Universe pageant held in Manila), Maureen Ava Viera.

Although Armida’s part in the movie was just a side story, she stole the film from all three lead characters with her very impressive performance as a leper who refuses to be separated from her only daughter. 

Given this soap opera of a scenario, the subplot involving her could have turned mushy, except that Armida was intelligent enough not to have played to the gallery and was in full control of her emotions. Not surprisingly, she won Best Supporting Actress in that year’s Bacolod Film Festival.

Armida also gave remarkable performances in Mga Bilanggong Birhen and in Laruang Apoy, where she and Vic Vargas play a farming couple whose union crumbles when the younger husband falls for Alma Moreno.

While producing and acting in films, she also made another impact on television with her weekly production of Mga Kuwento ng Pag-ibig. This drama series gave Channel 9 management regular headaches with the censors because some of the stories and scenes proved to be quite daring for television.

In one episode, as part of a foreplay, she sensuously puts into her mouth a whole piece of puto bumbong, takes it out and puts it into the mouth of Rudy Fernandez, who then gives it back to Armida. Kinky. But then, they don’t even kiss and yet the whole scene burns with passion.

Armida’s best performance, however, will always be for Tahan na, Empoy, Tahan, where she is cast as the exploitative and cruel aunt of Niño Muhlach, who is sent to work for her because the boy’s mother (Alicia Alonzo) is too poor to feed her young children. She is hateful in this movie and she is most effective in this part where she is shown merely clipping her toenails and yet she is still so venomous — you feel it in her. She so impressed the critics that the Manunuri crowned her 1977 Best Supporting Actress for this film.

Armida was again nominated for Pacita M. where she plays the mother-in-law Nora Aunor couldn’t get along with. But her performance in Tahan na Empoy, Tahan will always remain unsurpassed. In the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino honor roll, it is considered as one of most deserved Urian wins.