Celia Rodriguez Criticized by Vilmanians for Hitting Sister Vi?

In an episode of the vlog Showbiz Now Na, which can be viewed on the YouTube channel and hosted by Cristy Fermin, Wendell Alvarez, and Romel Chika, the hosts shared their thoughts on Ms. Celia’s controversial remarks.

According to Romel, “The eulogy should be focused on the deceased, not to hurt or drag other people down.”

This is not the right time to utter words that are tinged with politics or comparisons, especially if someone might be offended.

This issue started with Ms. Celia’s statement at the funeral for Nora Aunor at Heritage Memorial Park, where she said that Nora is the only one who deserves to be a National Artist in showbiz, and it seems that no one else will follow in her footsteps. Her comment quickly drew reactions, especially from Ms. Aunor’s supporters. Vilma Santos, who is also known as an icon of Philippine cinema and is often compared to Nora Aunor.

According to veteran showbiz columnist Cristy Fermin, the Vilmanians—the group of Vilma Santos fans—were strongly opposed because of the tone of Ms. Celia’s statement. She said it seemed to imply that Vilma did not deserve to be a National Artist, something that was painful to hear for fans of the Star for All Seasons. Cristy said, “If you read the comments of the Vilmanians on social media and in their vlogs, you can see their resentment.”

Although Cristy had not personally read or watched the entire eulogy before, she said that they analyzed it thoroughly when they obtained the full video of the said speech from the director of their online show, Tom Nava. In the video, the context of Ms. Celia’s words was more clearly seen, which according to Cristy further gave a reason why the sentiments of the Vilmanians were so strong.

Romel Chika added that there was a part of the eulogy where Ms. Celia clearly said: “No one will follow you, Nora. You are the only Superstar.”

According to Romel, although Celia may have only intended to pay tribute, the message came across as exclusive and targeted.

Ms. Celia also did not deny that she expected some to react to her words. In one part of the video, Celia herself said: “People are going to bash me again, it’s okay, I’m used to it. I’m just telling the truth.” For some, this declaration is an indication that she is aware of the controversial impact of what she said, but she still stood by it.

Cristy Fermin emphasized again that Ms. Celia probably had “someone” in mind while uttering her words, but she did not name them.

“In his tone of voice, it seemed like he was taking aim at something, even though he didn’t mention it directly,” Cristy said.

Amidst the backlash and defenses on social media, it’s clear that the long-standing rivalry between fans of Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos—a theme that has been part of showbiz history in the country for decades—has been revived. But for others, this is a time of respect and remembrance for a pillar of art and film, not of disunity.