Responding To Netizen's Comment

Comment:  Regarding Nora Aunor and her winning the National Artist ...one highlight of her career is her rivalry with Vilma Santos. During their time all showbiz activities became so intense, especially during the height of their careers. It came to a point that every Filipino will be identified either as Vilmanians or Noranians but the stars themselves didn't take it personally amongst themselves. What they have done with the contribution they made in showbiz added spice, color, and taste that touches the lives of every Filipino people. What's your take on this?

Response:

Talking about Nora Aunor is larger than life - meaning colossal, epic, extraordinary, towering, big, and imposing. She was the Superstar- and considering her longevity, we are talking of history here, decades of mass hysteria, and showbiz frenzy. And their rivalry was the most celebrated one in the history of Philippine Cinema. 

Marked by fanaticism, box office, a rigodon of team-ups with senior stars and the bankable leading men, and a deluge of choice movies and performances, they can command millions in talent fees, and they were given the freedom to choose their directors, the scriptwriter and the project - this phenomenon is a feat not duplicated since. 

Though many stars have emerged, in the succeeding years and arguably have eclipsed Nora or Vilma in terms of popularity and box office appeal, nothing could be compared to the rivalry of Nora and Vilma - not even the Sharon -Maricel, Amalia - Susan, or Gloria Nida.

Celebrity rivalries are often cultivated by the media. Let's say if a showbiz magazine releases the box office results of two movie stars today, expect their respective fans to growl at each other the next day. The competition before was so intense. Word war was rampant. Clashes happened in the streets of Manila. The fan clubs tried outdoing each other in terms of gimmicks and projects for their idols. And the movie press was divided into two: either you are pro-Nora or pro-Vilma.

But the two protagonists have maintained their friendship ever since as they called themselves "kumare". You can seldom see them rubbing elbows with each other, but the respect and the reverence they show each other is second to none. The proof of the pudding was when Nora Aunor was nominated as the National Artist, Vilma Santos went out of her way to declare support for her rival.

Vilma is a perfect foil to Nora.   She had her own list of acting awards and haunting performances tucked on her sleeves. Now that Nora won the National Artist award, expect that Vilma loyalists will lobby for her in the next years to come. 

And this time, it will be Nora's turn to extend her kumare her warm support.