The family of veteran actress Eva Darren has accepted the apology extended by the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards (FAMAS).
In a heartfelt Facebook post, Eva’s son, Fernando de la Pena, expressed gratitude to the social media community for their support. “My Dear Facebook Family… we truly appreciate the overwhelming display of love and support. Once again, the people have spoken and proved that the keyboard is mightier than the sword,” he wrote.
He also thanked those who helped spread the word, specifically mentioning Reb Belleza and Maila Gumila. “My mom is one tough cookie, she is a battle-tested survivor of life’s arena. Ms. Eva Darren has found some comfort in the midst of a loving family which includes you all,” he added.
Fernando shared a nostalgic memory of maintaining his mother’s FAMAS trophy from 1969. “I remember one of my designated house chores as a child was to make sure mom’s FAMAS trophy stays constantly dust-less and polished. One of the very few treasured possessions we have. We revered FAMAS and everything it stands for. This is why what happened to my mother, in the eyes of our family, was incomprehensible, unexpected, unimaginable,” he said.
Addressing FAMAS’ claim that the production team could not locate Eva during the event, Fernando clarified, “My mom was seated at a table front and center adjacent to the stage, rubbing elbows with my second mom, Ninang Divina Valencia, and my awesome Tita Marissa Delgado.”
In closing, Fernando stated that the family accepts the apology from FAMAS. “For the reasons I stated above and on behalf of my mother, Ms. Eva Darren, our family accepts the olive branch that FAMAS has extended and only hope that future events would prove to be contrasting,” he concluded.