Senator Manuel ‘Lito’’ Lapid sought today the renaming of Del Monte Avenue in Quezon city to Fernando Poe Jr. Avenue.
Lapid made the move after appearing before the Senate public works committee chaired by boxing icon and Senator Emmanuel ‘’Manny’’ Pacquiao and seeking congressional passage of his Senate Bill 1822 embodying the street renaming proposal.
Lapid, himself an action movie actor like Poe, said the late movie idol is more known to Filipinos as the “King of Filipino Movies” or “Da King”.
“Siya ay isang idolo at haligi ng pelikulang Pilipino. Si Da King ay gumanap sa halos tatlong-daang (300) pelikula sa kabuuan ng kanyang apatnapu’t-anim na taong propesyon. Sa ilan sa mga ito, siya pa mismo ang direktor, prodyuser at iskritor,’’ he said. (He is an idol and a pillar in Filipino movies. ’’Da King’’ starred in almost 300 movies in his 46 years in the movie industry.)
“Kaya na lamang bilang pagkilala sa kanyang malaking ambag sa sining at kultura, siya ay hinirang na National Artist for Cinema noong 2006,’’ he added. (For his contribution to Philippine culture and the arts, he was awarded
Lapid went on to paint the person of Poe as one who is close to the masses as Poe himself rose from poverty to movie stardom.
“Isa sa mga pamana ni Da King sa atin ay ang FPJ Productions na matatagpuan sa Del Monte Avenue sa Quezon City. Ang FPJ Productions ang nagsilbing “pandayan” ng mga maalamat na obra maestra na pinagbidahan, sinulat, dinirek o nilikha ni FPJ,’’ he pointed out. (One of his legacies is his FPJ Productions located on Del Monte Avenue in Quezon city. FPJ Productions is the anvil upon which many great movies were created by FPJ. )
“Ang panukalang tatalakayin ng komite ngayon ay naghahangad na pangalanan ang nasabing daan na “Fernando Poe, Jr. Avenue.” Sa pamamagitan nito, maiuukit sa pambansang kamalayan ang alaala at buhay ni Fernando Poe, Jr., lalong-lalo na sa mga susunod na henerasyon,’’ he added. (This measure seeking to rename Del Monte Avenue to Fernando Poe Jr. Avenue now before this committee seeks to inscribe into the consciousness of Filipinos of the present and coming generations the nobility of his life and achievements.)