Ramon Bautista Revilla Sr. (Tagalog pronunciation: [rɛˈbiljɐ]; born Jose Acuña Bautista; March 8, 1927 – June 26, 2020),[1] popularly known simply as Ramon Revilla Sr. or simply Ramon Revilla, was a Filipino actor who served as Senator of the Republic of the Philippines.

He was known as the Hari ng Agimat and King Of True To Life Story in Philippine films.

Education

Revilla graduated in Far Eastern University wherein he finished his bachelor's degree in commerce.[2]

Film career

In his initial entry to the film industry, the young Revilla was cast only in bit roles which was not enough for him so he left the film industry to become head of the Secret Service Unit of the Bureau of Customs in 1965.

He returned to the film industry in 1972 with the film Nardong Putik: Kilabot ng Cavite, which started his fame.[3]

He also returned on his own terms, creating his own film production, Imus Productions, for him to star in. Together with partner Azucena, they ran the film outfit with Revilla writing and directing his films under the pseudonym Jose Yandoc.

His characters in the films "Pepeng Agimat" and "Nardong Putik" gave him the image of being an invincible superhuman who had in his keeping a special anting-anting (amulet of superhuman powers). This image of his is somewhat alive because ABS-CBN adapted his 4 major films into television series entitled Agimat: Ang Mga Alamat ni Ramon Revilla.

Accolades

In 1973, Revilla won a Famas Best Actor Award for "Hulihin si Tiyagong Akyat" together with his son Marlon Bautista for a Famas Best Child Actor Award of the same movie. Imus Productions was also recognized as Outstanding Film production in 1975. The next year, Revilla snagged the Outstanding Producer of the Year Award.[4]

In 1979, he was Most Outstanding Actor and Box Office King.[5]

In 2011, in the 33rd Catholic Mass Media Awards Night (CMMA), Revilla was given the Lifetime Achievement Award.[6]

Political career

In 1987, he ran for a Senate spot by using his real name in the ballot and being an independent, and lost.[7]

In 1992, Revilla became a senator, placing 2nd behind another actor Tito Sotto. Both of them were members of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) at the time.[7] He served as chairman of the Senate Committee on Motion Pictures and Television in the 10th and 11th Congresses, working on legislations pertaining to the advancement of the Philippine Motion Picture Industry and children's welfare.[8]

Despite having a number of detractors, Senator Revilla was the author of some important bills, including the "Revilla Law" lowering the penalties imposed on the illegal possession of firearms, which had been increased by a law signed during the administration of former President Ferdinand Marcos.[9]

An amendment to the Family Code of the Philippines, enacted into the law in February 2004, states "The illegitimate children may use the surname of their father if their affiliation has been expressly recognized by the father through the record of birth appearing in the civil register, or when an admission in a public document or private handwritten instrument is made by the father." "The child should not suffer the stigma of his illegitimacy," Revilla Sr. once quoted saying.

In 1998, he jumped into Lakas, and won another term. After the elections, he also joined Lapian ng Masang Pilipino (LAMP) of then-incumbent President and fellow action star Joseph Estrada. But after the lower house impeached Estrada, he rejoined Lakas and stayed with said party until the end of his final term in 2004.[10]

Ram Revilla murder

On October 17, 2013, Revilla broke his silence and officially aired his emotions about Ram Revilla's murder case and Ramon Joseph's detainment: