Veteran actress Vangie Labalan has passed away at the age of 83.
The news was first shared by Jose Javier Reyes, chairman of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), in a Facebook post.
“Another sad goodbye. Thank you for all the years we worked together and providing Filipino cinema with the brilliance of your talent, hard work and professionalism. You shall never be forgotten as you will forever be missed. Have a safe journey home to the waiting arms of Our Father, dearest Vangie Labalan,” Reyes wrote.
Her youngest son, Carlo, confirmed her passing to ABS-CBN News.
Labalan reportedly died around noon on February 12 while confined in a hospital in Australia. She suffered multiple organ failure after battling hepatocellular carcinoma with lung metastasis. She is survived by her four children.
Born Maria Cristina Labalan on January 20, 1943 in Bago, Negros Occidental, she began her career in radio in Bacolod in 1962 before transitioning to television and film. Over the next five decades, she became a familiar and respected presence in Philippine entertainment.
Labalan was discovered by acclaimed filmmaker Ishmael Bernal in 1979 while she was supervising the dubbing of the film ‘Aliw’, which starred Lorna Tolentino. Bernal recognized her natural acting talent, paving the way for her film career.
She rose to prominence for her performance as Aling Saling, the mother of Nora Aunor’s character in the 1982 classic ‘Himala’. The film remains one of the most celebrated works in Philippine cinema.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Labalan appeared in numerous films, including ‘Alyas Baby Tsina’ (1984), ‘Miguelito: Ang Batang Rebelde’ (1985), and ‘Curacha: Ang Babaeng Walang Pahinga’ (1998).
Beyond acting, Labalan was also a businesswoman. She owned Synch Masters, a company specializing in dubbing Mexican telenovelas and anime shows into Filipino, contributing significantly to the localization of international content for Filipino audiences.
In recent years, she remained active in television. She was last seen in the hit teleseryes ‘FPJ’s Batang Quiapo’ and ‘Lolong: Bayani ng Bayan’ last year.
