Susan Roces ‘Queen of Philippine Movies’ dies at the age of 80

Jesusa Purifi cacion Levy Sonora-Poe (July 28, 1941 – May 20, 2022), known professionally as Susan Roces, was a Filipino actress. She was the wife of Ronald Allan Kelley Poe, better known as Fernando Poe Jr.

Roces was regarded as the “Queen of Philippine Movies” and starred in more than 130 fi lms. She won fi ve FAMAS Awards including two Best Actress wins. FAP Awards honored her with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her long-standing career and contribution to Philippine cinema. In 2005, Roces was one of the fi rst inductees on Eastwood City Walk of Fame. Months prior to her death, Roces was honored by The Philippine Post Offi ce with a commemorative stamp.

Roces died of a cardiopulmonary arrest on May 20, 2022 at the age of 80. A day earlier, she was rushed to the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan, Metro Manila because of chest pain and diffi culty in breathing. The Senate and the House of Representatives passed resolutions to honor her legacy. The ACT-CIS Partylist proposed to posthumously award Roces the National Artist of the Philippines Award for her contributions to the entertainment industry. She is buried in Manila North Cemetery.