Superstar Nora Aunor couldn’t hold back tears when audiences who watched the restored version of “Bulaklak sa City Jail” where she top billed, written by Lualhati Bautista and directed by Mario O’Hara, started to serenade her with Cinderella’s pop song “Ikaw ang Superstar ng Buhay Ko” at the GSIS Theater in Pasay City Tuesday afternoon.
When Nora was wheeled in the hall of the theater, her ardent fans and ordinary moviegoers started to sing the song instead of a birthday tune that welled tears in her eyes.
Aunor constantly wiped her eyes with a white kerchief hanging on her neck to dry the tears flowing down her cheeks.
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Cine Icons—a symposium and showing of treasured Filipino films—coincided with the post-birthday party of Ate (a term of endearment to an older woman by affinity or blood) Guy.
In an interview at the theater lounge after the film forum and screening, La Aunor said she wasn’t feeling well so she was wheelchair-bound.
“At saka, kaya rin ako naiiyak dahil ang sakit ng kanang paa ko (Besides, I was also crying because my right foot was pained),” she chuckled which elicited laughter from the crowd of reporters.
“Ang birthday wish ko lang ay pagmamahal (My only wish is love and happiness),” she added.
Meanwhile, reconciliation was a whiff of air in the veteran actress’ birthday eve at a recent separate party at Seda Vertis when she and daughter Matet de Leon buried the hatchet.
After the daughter got mad at her mom when the latter put up the same gourmet bottled fish sardines Matet originally initiated, mother and daughter kissed and made up.