Malacanang extended on Tuesday sympathies to the family of former Movie and Television Review and Classification Board Armida Siguion-Reyna who passed away on Monday. She was 88.

"The entertainment world has lost one of its pillars, and the Palace expresses its condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the former Movie and Television Review Classification Board Chairperson Armida Siguion-Reyna," said Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a press briefing.

He said the Palace also condoles with the family of former Senator Juan Ponce-Enrile.

Siguion-Reyna and Enrile are half-siblings, having the same father but different mothers.

Panelo recalled Siguion-Reyna for her long-running television program "Aawitan Kita," which she hosted and produced on television for more than 30 years.

"Now if you look at her biography, specifically the biographical book entitled ‘Fear’ and if you have witnessed how this woman faced her detractors as well as her critics, immediately you will know that this woman is?or was, one who has?or who had an independent mind of her own, and a principled citizen at that. And she has demonstrated this kind of character all throughout her career, specifically when she was chairman of the MTRCB where she defended artistic liberties in cinema," said Panelo.

Siguion-Reyna served as MTRCB chair during the administration of former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, who like her came from the entertainment industry. Celerina

Monte/DMS