MANILA, Philippines?Espiridion Laxa was a maverick.
The late film industry leader and pioneering independent film producer ?led the first major revolution in the industry at a time when it was dominated by only two studios,? said National Artist for Film Eddie Romero in the eulogy he delivered during a necrological Mass for Laxa last week.
Laxa, founder of Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions, died of prostate cancer on Sept. 15 and was laid to rest on Sept. 19 at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City. He was 79.
Laxa was ?looked upon as a kind of dangerous newcomer, hiring actors not in contract with the two other networks,? Romero added.
The director was referring to LVN and Sampaguita, two major film studios established in the late 1930s and which produced most of the Filipino movies during its first golden age in the 50s. Romero added that when Laxa, a lawyer, ventured into film production, ?there was no longer any dominating group. Actors started asserting themselves. That changed the entire climate of the industry... ?
Progressive thinker
Marichu Vera-Perez, daughter of Sampaguita Pictures boss, Dr. Jose Perez, described Laxa as ?soft-spoken and a true gentleman... He was very optimistic. He always saw the glass half-full. He was a progressive thinker.?
Vera-Perez, known in the industry as Manay Ichu, added that she and Laxa grew close from their relationship with then budding actress Vilma Santos. ?We helped Vilma take care of her financial problems and tax cases with the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue),? said Manay Ichu.
Santos, now governor of Batangas province, considered Laxa her second father.
Santos said she was only 21 when she ran into trouble with her finances. ?Laxa and Manay Ichu guided me ... on what to do with my mismanaged funds. For seven years, bi-nuno ko ang pagbabayad ng utang. Thanks to them, may pera na po ako and I?m now managing my own finances.?
Meaningful life
Laxa?s daughter, Lulu Laxa-Torres, said that in a recent phone conversation, her father had reminded her to always visit the grave of her mother, who died 15 years ago. ?We were worried about Dad when our mother died... But his love for the movie industry kept him alive. It inspired and kept him busy,? said Torres.
The necrological Mass was celebrated by Fr. Mario Sobrejuanite, head of the Society of St. Paul and the Rivers of Living Water Catholic Community. In his homily, Sobrejuanite said, ?[Laxa] lived a very meaningful life... He spent his life on something that has outlasted it.?
Also present that night to share their eulogies were Tony Ferrer, former actor and Laxa?s brother; Digna Santiago, executive director of the Philippine Film Export Services Office of the Film Development Council; Ric Camaligan, president of the National Cinema Association of the Philippines; Bayani Fernando, chair of the Metro Manila Development Authority; and Lani Mercado, who spoke in behalf of her husband Sen. Bong Revilla.
The necrological Mass was organized by Leo Martinez, director general of the Film Academy of the Philippines, and Boots Anson-Roa, executive director of the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation.
Other movie industry personalities who attended were Caridad Sanchez, Eddie Garcia, Divina Valencia, Marissa Delgado, Ronnie Ricketts, Ela Guevara and Sandy Andolong. National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, Metro Manila Film Festival selection committee member Rolly Josef, and National Commission for Culture and the Arts executive director Cecile Alvarez also graced the event.
