Funeral Fit for A King
In sic transit mundi gloria. (Thus passes away the glory of the world)
The nation is once again caught in a massive outpouring of grief and monumental mourning. Local Tinseltown’s undisputed “Da King” is gone - riding away towards the sunset and into the pantheons of the immortals. For more than half a century, FPJ came to symbolize the aspirations of the masses, the larger than life screen hero who transcended the silver screen and made the subsequent leapt into the sleazy and dog-eat-dog world of local politics. The king has left this mortal coil and his loyal subjects have come en masse to pay their last, tearful respects. After Manny Paquiao’s smashing ring triumph, the country is left to wallow in the devastating loss of its greatest and renowned celluloid hero.
FPJ’s wake may yet approximate that of the martyred Ninoy Aquino in terms of drawing power, sheer drama and the ensuing monstrous traffic jams it may bring about. Here we have two national figures whose incandescent flames were abruptly extinguished. Both were magnetic symbols of a struggle against the perceived tyranny of their times – one against a long-standing dictatorship, the other from a besieged President who he claimed cheated him of his rightful throne (the electoral protest is still pending). Ninoy’s manifest destiny was snuffed out by a hail of bullets, FPJ’s by the banality of the ballots. The two are also blessed with widows who further magnify and add mystique to their charisma and legend. Fittingly, both were to lie in state at the historic and sprawling Sto. Domingo Church.
Being the colossal media and entertainment figure that he was, the major TV networks were understandably all caught up in a frenzied coverage, reporting on FPJ’s untimely demise that rivals that of a head of state’s death. The two TV titans, Channels 2 and 7, even had their live set-up from both the Arlington Funeral Homes and the Sto. Domingo Church during their late night news programs. They delivered a blow-by-blow accounting of the event that had the entire country riveted. Once again, they were trying to outdo each other in their unceasing battle for those precious TV ratings. Luckily, the viewers were treated to a front-row seat and an exhaustive news coverage of the events as they unfurled. The Rico Yan tragedy proved to be an overt display of excessive media hype and hubris. For all intents and purposes, the media will be excused from resulting to over-indulgence this time around. Not when the King is the subject of the story.
I’m no big FPJ fan but I was intently glued to the tube as I joined the hoi polloi in watching what is undoubtedly the event of the year. The throngs of people I saw trudging their way to Sto. Domingo as I passed by en route from work was a resounding testament to the man’s unsurpassed popularity. Some were from far-flung places and were there as early as 4am. Such devotion and unbridled respect for their hero seems to be turning into a common Pinoy trait. Or is it because FPJ is the uncommon and absolute personification of everything we hope for in our heroes and idols?
Countless stories abound with regards to FPJ’s infinite goodness and unmatched generosity. Anecdotes from family and friends would make for good reading material. He was a man of a few words but he let his big heart do the talking. Many will make their somber journey to Sto. Domingo having lost a father-figure, benefactor, friend, idol, and hero. I am of the opinion that his defeat in the elections was in itself a blessing in disguise. He would have died with a heavy heart had he entered the snakepit that is Malacanang. His reputation would have been tarnished and his legacy shattered by the mudslinging and corruption inherent in the dirty world of politics. I also shudder at the thought of Kabayan being the big kahuna of our godforsaken country. Bet you would be scared too.
For now, we bid adieu to the man, Da King, the legend of Philippine cinema and the man who would have been President. In sic transit mundi gloria.
