Belle of the Santiagos

At the age of 12, Digna H. Santiago was featured in the Nov. 30, 1955 issue of Kislap Graphic, calling her the Belle of the Santiagos. Digna is the only daughter of Premiere producers Dr. and Mrs. Ciriaco Santiago. She has two brothers, Cirio and Dan.

Kislap Graphic noted that at 12, Digna could already pass for a teenager, standing five-feet-one on her barefeet.

Fondly called Nining, Digna was described by the magazine as a typical modern Maria Clara, modest and simple, quite shy, but friendly. Long-haired, she refused to even powder her face.

At 12, Digna was promoted to Grade Seven at Holy Ghost College.

She preferred to stay home rather than go out partying. Digna entertained friends at home within the Premiere studio compound in Caloocan.

Digna would save a great part of her allowance as she wanted to go abroad again, as she did in 1952 with her parents, Don Ciriaco and Doña Adela, when she was only nine years old.

She loved to play the piano and watch movies. Nining appeared in two Premiere movies when she was hardly six years old, Perfidia and Magkapilas ng Langit.

Digna took up further studies in business at an Ivy League School, University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Economics.

She chaired this year’s New Wave category of the Metro Manila Film Festival, a big success. — RKC