National Artist Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio passes away at 90

National Artist for Theater and Founding Artistic Director of Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 29. She was 90.

The Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas confirmed the news, saying the University of the Philippines Professor Emeritus died at 7 a.m. on Tuesday.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of National Artist Amelia, University of the Philippines Professor Emeritus and Founding Artistic Director of Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas at 7 AM today, December 29, 2020 at the age of 90," it wrote.

Her family and friends, including CCP's artistic director and VP Chris Millado, have also taken to social media to express their grief over the artist's passing.

Master artist and puppeteer Carlito Amalla also wrote that Amelia was like his second mother already.

"Balisa at biglang umiyak ako kahapon habang naalaala ko si lola Amelia. Siya ang nagturo sa akin bilang taga desinyo ng papet at papetir na rin," he wrote on Facebook. "Noong isang taon pumanaw rin ang nanay ko. Ang hirap at lagi akong nasaktan ng lubusan. Paalam at sa muling pagkikita."

Meanwhile, renowned author Lualhati Bautista also shared her grievances. "Sad holiday season. National artist Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio has passed away," she said.

Among Lapena-Bonifacio's many accomplishments include writing no less than 44 plays, 136 short stories, 26 books, and a novel about World War II, written for young readers.

In 1957, she helped establish the Speech and Drama Department in the University of the Philippines in Diliman, where she taught theater history and speech subjects.

In 1977, she founded Mulat.

The cause of her death and details of her wake are yet to be released.

Our condolences to Ma'am Amelia's family and friends.  — Kaela Malig/LA, GMA News