ACTOR-TURNED- Ormoc mayor Richard Gomez has expressed his support to the call to declare late actor Eddie Garcia as national artist.
“That should have long been given to him due to his numerous contributions in the television and movie industry and to the Filipino people,” Gomez told reporters on Monday.
Gomez said this call was only brought up now that the actor had already passed away. But even so, he is one of those who have been supporting this move to confer Garcia the national artist award.
Aside from Gomez, other celebrities who supported the call are Senators-elect Lito Lapid and Bong Revilla, actress and Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos, and actors Christopher de Leon and Tirso Cruz.
“He is a very important actor in show business. He is an icon, he is a legend, he has done so much in show business and achieved so much. He was considered a hall of fame awardee by various award-giving bodies as an actor, director, and supporting actor,” Gomez shared.
Garcia’s work ethic is worth emulating by celebrities who wanted to make it big and stay longer in the local movie industry, he added.
Gomez and Garcia worked together in several movies in the past such as the 1986 film “Nasaan Ka Ng Kailangan Kita” and the 2002 film “Mano Po”, where Garcia won the Best Actor award at the Metro Manila Film Festival.
“He is really a very hard working man. He wanted people to work professionally, you come on time, you know your script, you know what to do, and you don’t give people a hard time. His ways are very simple,” Gomez recalled.
On the set of “Rosang Agimat” on June 8, where Garcia had an accident, Gomez said that it is very important for the production crew to learn first aid and to have a standby medical team. The veteran actor died on June 20.
“Every set or event should have a stand-by medical crew in case something happen, they can immediately provide medical attention. They are properly taken care of like you don’t just carry them carelessly,” Gomez added.
Gomez added that since he was elected as Ormoc City mayor in 2016, he’s been advocating cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for various groups and ask establishments to have an automated external defibrillator. (By Roel Amazona)
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