Armida Siguion-Reyna, one of Philippine arts and culture’s finest women, will launch her highly anticipated biography today (February 24) at Whitespace, Makati.
Expected to be a reunion of the most respected names in the entertainment industry, the launching of Siguion-Reyna’s biography aptly titled, “Armida” serves as a celebration in honor of her legacy as a pillar in both showbiz and public service.
Armida Siguion-Reyna is a multi-faceted icon in the Philippines with notable accomplishments as a singer, actress, producer, and MTRCB chairman. She is best known for her musical TV show, “Aawitan Kita” which is the longest-running musical TV show in the country that has bagged awards since it made waves on Philippine television.
Siguion-Reyna was also a leading voice on the issue of film censorship. As a liberal thinker, she called for the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) to scrap film censorship and lauded independent filmmakers for showcasing their uncensored films abroad. She even join an anti-censorship rally with National Artists including Bien Lumbera, Lino Brocka, and Ishmael Bernal among others – a fearless move that further carved Siguion-Reyna’s name as one of the best industry leaders.
Roughly two years in the making, “Armida” gives readers a glimpse of the fascinating and sometimes rebellious life of the influential 84-year-old Siguion-Reyna.
Each page of “Armida” is filled with rich details of her vibrant life told by Siguion-Reyna herself side by side with an account penned by Nelson Navarro titled “The Singer and Her Song.”
“The book breaks the rules of how traditional biographies are presented, just as my mom has been doing throughout her life. It gives readers an inside view of her private thoughts about her public and professional relationships with behind-the-scenes revelations; her one true love, her fears, her strengths. It’s her backstory,” said Monique Villongco, Siguion-Reyna’s daughter who served as the book’s editor.
