Mila del Sol

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Villarba and the surname or paternal family name is Rivera.
Mila del Sol
Mila del Sol, Gawad Parangal night, 2010
Born
Clarita Villarba Rivera

(1923-05-12)May 12, 1923
Tondo, Manila, Insular Government of the Philippine Islands
DiedNovember 10, 2020(2020-11-10) (aged 97)[1]
Parañaque, Philippines
OccupationPhilippine actor entrepreneur philanthropist
Years active1937–1952; 1957–2010
RelativesGustavo Tambunting (grandson)
Onemig Bondoc (grandnephew)
Ira Cruz (grandson)
Ignacio Bunye (nephew)

Clarita Villarba Rivera, better known by her screen name Mila del Sol (12 May 1923[2] – 10 November 2020), was a Filipina actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Born in Tondo, Manila, she gained fame in her very first lead role in the 1939 film Giliw Ko. She was discovered by LVN Pictures President Doña Sisang de Leon, who insisted in casting her over the objections of the film's director, who felt she was too young for the part.[3] It was the film's director, Carlos Vander Tolosa, who gave her the screen name Mila del Sol for "causing the sun (sol) to appear as if by miracle (milagro) over his otherwise overcast set whenever she was called in to do her scenes."[4]

Film production shut down during the Japanese occupation and was restored only in 1945. Del Sol returned to LVN and starred in its production of Manuel Conde's Orasang Ginto, the first post-war Filipino film. She starred in other LVN films of the 1940s, including Ibong Adarna (1941) and Villa Hermosa.[2]

Del Sol retired from films to raise a family in the 1950s, but staged a comeback in 1960 with two films released that year, Pakipot and Tatlong Magdalena.[2] The following year, she starred in an international production, Espionage Far East, and later starred in a long-running television series. She began her career as an entrepreneur in 1964, and focused on philanthropic work from the 1970s onward.[5]

Pope Francis imparted the Apostolic Blessing upon del Sol on the occasion of her 90th birthday.

In December 2014, the Congress of the Philippines passed Resolution No. 165, honoring Mila del Sol "for her contributions to the movie industry and to Philippine society in general". The Resolution said in part that "Ms. Mila del Sol proved that poverty should not be a hindrance but an inspiration to improve one's status in life" and that "her businesses and various foundations that employ and extend benefits to those who are in need and have less in life are proofs of Ms. Mila del Sol's unwavering commitment to contribute to the improvement of Philippine society."[6]

  1. ^ "Screen legend Mila del Sol dies at 97". CNN Philippines. Archived from the original on November 10, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Danny Villanueva (1994). "Philippine Film". In Nicanor Tiongson (ed.). CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art. Vol. VIII (1st ed.). Manila: Cultural Center of the Philippines. p. 237. ISBN 971-8546-31-6.
  3. ^ Paras, Wilhelmina (1998-12-04). "Return of a Golden Oldie: A regional film-restoration effort bears fruit". Asiaweek Magazine. Retrieved 2007-11-22.
  4. ^ Francisco, Butch. "Mila del Sol: Hard life, beginnings, romances, hollywood days, the bright twilight years". Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino.
  5. ^ Protacio, Romy R. "Mila del Sol: Entrepreneur". Asian Journal. Archived from the original on 2014-04-13. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
  6. ^ "HR 165". Philippine Congress. Archived from the original on 2015-02-05.