An era in Philippine cinema ended on 04 August 2024.
The passing of Lily Monteverde, more popularly known as Mother Lily, was felt like a blow that hurt the heart the movie industry in our country. Regardless of what you felt or thought of her, the woman was and will always be one of giants who showed the direction and shaped cinema in our country.
It is hard to underestimate the value of Mother Lily's contribution to our culture. The film library of Regal Films stretches not only through decades but generations of movie productions handled by Filipino directors whose voices have become benchmarks in the history of our popular culture.
Yes, there are the works of National Artists for Film like Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, Ricky Lee and Marilou Diaz-Abaya ... but also included are the films of the popular and commercial icons like Luciano B. Carlos (known as Tatay Chaning), Mike Relon Makiling and, of course, Elwood Perez and Joey Gosiengfiao. One cannot run through the films made in the seventies straight throughto the nineties without pointing to Regal Films as one of the the epicenters of popular culture.
For if there is Mike de Leon's Sister Stella L., then there is the iconic Temptation Island of Joey Gosiengfiao. Regal was the home of the most important films of Ishmael Bernal ( Relasyon, Broken Marriage, Hinugot Sa Langit ) Even to this day, the works of Pablo S. Gomez turned into popular movies like Tatay Chaning's Inday trilogy ( Inday Bote, Inday, Inday sa Balitaw and Super Inday and the Magic Bibe) are still being talked about and used as points of reference in studying what and how it was the latter years of the past century.
Without Mother Lily there would be no Regal Babies.
The names of Maricel Soriano, Snooky Serna, Dina Bonnevie, Gabby Concepcion, William and Albert Martinez are still familiar because they belonged to that generation of stars who were not sparks in the dark. They had lasting power and credibility because they represented more than popularity but more of talent.
Then of course the roster of Regal Stars must including Gina Alajar, Rio Locsin, Alma Morenom, Lorna Tolentino and the late Cherie Gil who all donned that magic kamison used in posters and promotional materials to sell films like Disgrasiyada, Diborsiyada, Separada and even The Rape of Virginia P and Waikiki. How could anyone discuss 20th century Philippine movies without addressing these names and faces who defined popular entertainment of that time?
What is little known to the larger audience is just how much Lily Monteverde laid the ground for the blossoming of young filmmakers but believing in their talent but more so by being a major movie fan herself.
Mother Lily never shied away in admitting that she started out as this rebellious kolehiyala who joined the throngs waiting outside the gate of Sampaguita Pictures in Gilmore Avenue just to catch a glimpse of her favorite movie stars. That movie fan mentality translated to a sincere and deep love for movies --- which gave this producer the sense of trust and even bewilderment to the creativity and the need for independence of screenwriters and directors.
Back in those days there were no creative committees, no creative managers : there was only the producer with the director and his writer --- and for Mother Lily, that was enough. She believed in the importance of creative identity, leaving each director the right to issue his thumbprint on his work ---- so that no two movies can ever sound and look alike. Under Mother's productions, you would know the Elwood Perez movie from that of a Gosiengfiao. You can see the personality of a Maryo J. de los Reyes movie or that of Mel Chionglo.
Even on the first ten minutes of the film's viewing you will know that this is a Rono movie ... or a Lamangan. Or an Erik Matti.
Yes, Mother was far from perfect. As a matter of fact, it is safe to call her beautifully insane.
Her unpredictability, her mood swings from hysterical laughter to ... uh, pure hysteria are all that she was and will always be remembered. But it is that ability to be completely unpredictable that made her both unnerving as well as endearing.
Yes, there are all the complaints about working conditions but only those in her inner circle were fully aware of what she was going through in terms of the financial struggles in certain periods of Regal's history. Mother Lily would never shared that with anyone her trials and woes because by being a fighter, by being a survivor she succeeded in keeping Regal afloat to become the oldest existing movie studio today.
Although many know Lily Monteverde by name ... only those who had been given the opportunity to know her personally can vouch that her public persona fell short of showing what kind of a person she was. Simply put, the term mother was most appropriate because she was exactly that. If you had won her trust and heart, then you would have been shown the generosity and care that she gave her closest friends and associates. She was not a mother only by name ... because she took the role seriously in quietly and privately caring for people who she knew cared for her and her children.
People may remember Mother Lily as a producer ... but for some of us who have shared a substantial part of our lives with her, the woman shall and will always remain as irreplaceable and in so many ways incomparable.
I have said it so many times before and I will say it again: if it were not for Mother Lily, I would not be here where I stand and speak and write today.
I have been blessed to have her as a part not only of my professional life ... but as a second mother who took care of me when all the rest have given up on me. She was a rock of strength for me ... and by her memory alone I am sure there are so many others who find fortitude by the sheer example of her life.
Thank you once again, Mother. Happy birthday and may you have found the eternal peace and happiness that you so deserve,
You will never be forgotten because there are so many who will always love you.
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