On July 9, Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua filed a resolution urging the House of Representatives to nominate the late comedian and actor Rodolfo “Dolphy” Quizon Sr. for the Order of National Artists.
Dolphy, also known as the “King of Comedy,” is widely regarded as one of the most influential and beloved figures in the Philippine entertainment industry. Dolphy starred in more than 200 films over the course of his 66-year career, debuting in 1946 in a Fernando Poe Sr.-led action feature, Dugo at Bayan.
Dolphy took on a variety of leading roles across film and television, including the role of John Puruntong in John en Marsha, one of the most successful sitcoms in the country, as well as the role of former comfort gay Walter Dempster Jr. in Markova: Comfort Gay. Upon the actor’s death on July 10, 2012, then President Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. declared a National Day of Remembrance to honor Dolphy’s cultural legacy.
“Dolphy was conferred the Grand Collar of the Order of the Golden Heart (OGH) in accordance with the Honors Code of the Philippines by then President Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., because ‘his comedy has brought joy to millions but just as importantly, his well-known philanthropy and encouragement of charitable and good causes as well,’” said Chua in his resolution.
Despite his long and starred career, Dolphy has yet to receive the Order of the National Artists, which is “the highest national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts,” according to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ (NCCA) official website.
Dolphy was nominated for the title in 2009, but was ultimately denied by the selection committee. “I understand there have been issues supposedly with the gay roles he played,” former NCCA Commissioner for Cultural Heritage Trixie Cruz-Angeles told Rappler in regards to the issues surrounding Dolphy’s selection process. “In Dolphy’s case, there was still a lot of controversy on his contributions to the art [at the time he was nominated].”
However, Dolphy is not without his supporters. Lea Salonga has been vocal about championing the actor, saying in a 2024 interview with ABS-CBN, “We have to judge him as an artist for his body of work. He has contributed so much, even those where he is cross-dressing. It lends so much tolerance and acceptance towards the LGBTQIA+ community. Even if that was not his intention at the time.”
