The woman Nora calls Nanay
‘Siya ‘yung tipo ng ina na hindi nakikialam sa buhay naming magkakapatid pero umiiyak at lumalaban siya kapag nakikita niyang may nananakit sa amin.’
If behind every successful man is a woman, then behind every successful person is a mom.
This is especially true for Nora Aunor who gives a great deal of credit to her mother, the late Antonia Cabaltera, for fully supporting her journey in show business. In time for today’s Mother Day’s special,
Bulletin Entertainment landed a small talk with the superstar. It’s been many years since her mom died but Nora’s memories of her is still vivid. “Isa siyang napakabait na ina,” she
said, her face glowing with love. “Siya ’yung tipo ng ina na hindi nakikialam sa buhay naming magkakapatid pero umiiyak at lumalaban siya kapag nakikita niyang may nananakit sa amin.”
Nora was born to a family with humble background in Iriga, Camarines Sur. Their family lived in a nipa house with only one gasera to provide light. Despite that, Mrs. Cabaltera made sure she provided everything for Nora and her other nine siblings.
She even recalled how Antonia used to buy her pansit with no single peso left in her pocket. But because Nora likes it, she gives it.
“Sakitin akong bata at talagang walang-wala kaming pera (na pampagamot noon),” she shared. Nora was born a sickly baby. She was always having those chills and fevers and spasms that her mother feared she won’t live long.
Her father worked as porter at the raildroad station. However, the earnings were not enough to buy supper for the family to the point that they sometimes even go to sleep without eating.
That’s when Nora decided to stand up
Siya ‘yung tipo ng ina na hindi nakikialam sa buhay naming magkakapatid pero umiiyak at lumalaban siya kapag nakikita niyang may nananakit sa amin.
for the family. She joined several singing competitions and the mother supported her all the way, even sewing dresses for her to wear. Successful as she is now in the business, Nora said she wouldn’t be that superstar if weren’t for Antonia, the mother-incharge.
“Madalas tinatanong ng mga tao kung bakit ko naituturing na
‘best mom’ ang nanay ko. Ang sagot ko, unang-una kung wala ang nanay ko, wala din ako,” she explained. “Hindi ako makikilala sa industriyang ito kung hindi niya ako pinalaki, inalagaan ng mabuti. Dahil sa kanya kung bakit ako naging matatag at patuloy na lumalaban (sa buhay) ngayon.” The biggest lesson her mother taught her is to always be respectful of others. “Ang aral na palagi niyang sinasabi sa akin eh, ’wag akong sasagot lalo na kapag matanda sa akin ke mali o tama ang sasabihin ko. At isa pa siyempre, ’wag na ’wag akong mananakit ng kapwa ko,” she shared. Nora admitted she has many shortcomings as a daughter. Given the chance to speak again with her mother, she would say how much she loves her. “May mga regrets din ako lalo na nu’ng mga oras na naging busy ako sa pag-a-artista. May mga panahon na nakakalimutan kong sabihin sa kanya na mahal ko siya pero alam ng Diyos kung gaano ko siya kamahal,” she said.
As mom herself
This Mother’s Day, Nora said she’ll be home. “Sabi ko nga, kung sinong makaalala sa akin, salamat,” she said, smiling. Nora has five children: Ian, Lotlot, Matet, Kiko and Kenneth. She revealed having “no communication”
with her children for some time now.
The superstar admitted she has flaws and imperfection as a mom but she’s not giving up, only hoping for the best in the future.
“Sa totoo lang mahirap i-describe ang sarili ko bilang isang ina kasi bata pa lang ako namulat na ako sa pagta-trabaho,”
she said. “Pero kahit ganu’n, hindi ko pinabayaan ang mga anak ko. Kahit wala ako (sa bahay), nandu’n ’yung mga kamaganak ko na tumitingin sa kanila. Pero siyempre sasabihin na iba pa din ’yung mismong ina ang nag-aalaga.”
She continued, “Ako naman basta magkaroon ako ng araw, ng panahon mini
meeting ko sila. Isang buong mag-hapon ’yun na inaalam ko kung anong problema nila, meron ba silang problema sa akin. Higit sa lahat tinatanong ko kung may nagawa akong kasalanan ko para sa alam ko saan ako nagkulang. Ang hinihiling ko na lang sana ngayon, eh magkita-kita kami at magkausap-usap.”
Motherly
Nora has had many memorable mother roles in her decades-long reign in the business. There’s “Bakekang,” “Ang Totoong Buhay Ni Pacita M.,” “Tatlong Ina, Isang Anak,” and “Andrea, Paano Ba Maging Isang Ina?,” to name a few.
In 2015, she played Mama ’La to Kris Bernal’s character Tinay on the GMA series “Little Nanay.”
After almost three years, the superstar is back.
Nora recently signed a program contract with the Kapuso Network for a teleserye.
Though the title of the series hasn’t been named yet, Nora revealed she will play mother anew.
“Maganda ’yung storya. It’s about paano magmahal ang isang ina sa anak at paano ipinagtatanggol ng anak ang kanyang ina. Punong-puno
ng puso ang palabas na ito,” she said. The show will be about motherhood as well as forgiveness and acceptance lessons.
“Malaki talaga ang papel ng isang ina sa buhay ng mga bata. Siguro ang pinaka-isang aral na maaari nilang matutunan dito ay kahit gaano man kasama ang isang ina o ang isang magulang, dapat ang anak ay patuloy na ipagtanggol ito at mahalin. Dahil kung wala ang nanay, wala ang anak,” she maintained. The series is under the helm of Gina Alajar, who Nora coworked in “Andrea, Paano Ba Ang Maging Isang Ina?” More
Entering show business at a young age, it seems Nora did not have a “normal childhood” like anybody else.
If she’s not an actress now, she would probably end up being a teacher, she noted.
“Maaga akong nag-trabaho talaga eh at bihira lang talaga akong nakapaglaro (nu’ng bata ako). Pero ang nagpatatag sa akin eh ang kahirapan namin. Talagang nag-isip ako kung paano ma-ingat ang pamilya ko. Sabi ko nga kung hindi ko lang kailangan gawin ito, nag-teacher sana ako kasi mahilig talaga ako sa mga bata,” she explained.
Nora has had several ups and downs, intrigues and controversies as a celebrity. For instance, she was rejected to be conferred as National Artist for Cinema in 2014.
It was not in her fate, she noted, adding she has no ill feelings about it anymore.
There was also a time she bid the limelight farewell, saying she feels burned out and empty. Thankfully, she survived all. “Ngayon pa ba ako susuko (sa industriyang ito)? Tagal ko na sa showbiz at nagpadaanan ko na lahat at ngayon, masasabi kong lalaban ako. Hindi ako susuko.” Sadly, Nora still can’t sing and she will just focus on acting for now. “Basta may mga naniniwala at nagtitiwala pa din sa akin, gagawa at gagawa ako ng pelikula dahil utang ko na yan sa mga fans ko,” she noted. So why not feature her life story in a film? “Hindi pa siguro ngayon pero gagawin ko yan dahil naniniwala akong makakadagdag ng inspirasyon yan para sa mga kabataan,” she said. Recently, her good friend and former industry rival Vilma Santos created her own Instagram account so that her fans can more easily reach and communicate with her. How about a @NoraAunor handle on IG, we asked. “Nako! Hindi na. Hindi ko kayang i-handle yan at tamad ho ako sa ganyan! Kahit nga sa Facebook nahihirapan ako eh. ’Wag na!” she said, laughing.
Ang nagpatatag sa akin eh ang kahirapan namin. Talagang nag-isip ako kung paano ma-i-angat ang pamilya ko. Sabi ko nga kung hindi ko lang kailangan gawin ito, nagteacher sana ako kasi mahilig talaga ako sa mga bata.