National Artist for Literature and UP professor emeritus, Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio, will be given a necrological tribute by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) on Dec. 11, Saturday, at the CCP Main Theater. The event will be livestreamed on the CCP Facebook (FB) page.

The tribute will honor the life and legacy of Lapeña-Bonifacio, whose achievements “have sparked today’s renaissance of writing for children and young adults and reanimated the world of theater and literature for Filipino children,” the CCP FB post read.

Arrival honors will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo lobby, followed by the tribute program at 9 a.m. at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. The state funeral will ensue at 12 p.m. at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB), Taguig City.

The grand dame of Southeast Asian children’s theater passed away on Dec. 29, 2020 at the age of 90. She was made National Artist for theater on Oct. 24, 2018.

A playwright, puppeteer and educator, Lapeña-Bonifacio was the founding artistic director of Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas, a children’s theater and puppet theater company established in 1977.

On her retirement in 1995, UP bestowed upon her the rank of university professor emerita “for her exceptional achievements and outstanding service.”

Lapeña-Bonifacio received numerous awards, among them the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award in Literature for one act play for “Dalawang Bayani” in 1995, and the second prize, full length play for “Chinchina and the Five Mountains” in 2006. She received the City of Manila Outstanding Citizen Award in 2017, and the Quezon City Most Outstanding Citizen Award in 2013.

The internment at LNMB is a privilege given to National Artists, National Scientists, Medal of Valor awardees; presidents; secretaries of national defense; chiefs of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); active and retired military AFP personnel who died in the line of duty; veterans of the Philippine Revolution, World War I, World War II and recognized guerrillas; government dignitaries, and statesmen.

The necrological tribute is free and open to the public. However, attendees are required to be in Filipiniana or business attire. Strict health protocols will be implemented during the ceremony. Attendees are requested to download the Staysafe app, present their vaccination card, wear face masks, and observe physical distancing.