Laughter

Rodolfo Vera Quizon

1928-2012

John Purontong. Kevin Cosme. and so maybe the list goes on. In each of those roles this person has portrayed, there was always one thing common among them, the Laughter he has shared with all of us. His brilliance as an actor showed immensely throughout the years, and he has been the same ever since. Mang Dolphy, as many of the Filipinos fondly calls this amazing person, defined what real fun is and he was victorious in bringing the whole country to their happiest. Every television show or motion picture he starred does not only relieves many of the Filipinos of their isolated problems but also taught them lessons in the course of every story. 

I was born way younger than him, and at the moment i came to understand almost everything, i saw him on that black square television set, smiling, cracking jokes, mischievous, wacky, happy. "Home Along Da Riles" was one of those sit-com's i can always associate with Mang Dolphy, the character of "Kevin Cosme" together with his real life sons and grand child. I can perfectly remember, the start of the show where a cartoonized version of the cast will be played together with the song. At the start of every episode, there will be a problem of some sort and sometimes will put them to test. Throughout the whole circus of the show, after everything has been laid, Mang Dolphy would be reminding us of the lessons of life we must be able to know even though they be presented in a jest. 

I may not personally know him, but i know and i am glad i witnessed his legacy. One thing that led me to this particular rant is about the issue of his being a NATIONAL ARTIST. Now that the King has died, is it only up to now that the government took cognizance of this man's greatness? Why do we let them go by without them letting know how much we appreciate them? How do we give justice to all his contributions in the world of theater art when he could not even applaud it for himself? Why do we need to baffle along with those political agendas just to accentuate matters as such or in other words, why does his death needs to be tagged with political drama? 

What does it take to be a NATIONAL ARTIST? Is when he dies? No. I know many of us Filipinos feel that Mang Dolphy was, is, will always be a NATIONAL ARTIST. The problem is, they qualify this so much with the technicalities. I mean, for what? The person is dead. It just doesn't seem fit, to deprive a man of what is truly his, a genuine recognition. Rules are rules and i believe that should be the way to look at it, but can we all not attest to what this great man had done? I think, to judge it, we all know, he deserves more than that. For it is only Mang Dolphy who defined real comedy.

So long as i live, Mang Dolphy will always remain the Comedy King for me and for all Filipinos. A legacy he has left us is more than enough for our praises. 

Maraming Salamat, Mang Dolphy.

K.leah

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