Vilma Santos

Lydio Lopez, Jr. (2003–2007)

Lakas–Kampi–CMD (1998–2009) Air Force Reserve Command Lord Allan Velasco Rosa Vilma Tuazon Santos (born November 3, 1953) is a Filipino actress and politician. Known for her versatile work on screen, she began her career as a child actress in the 1960s and was one of the biggest box-office draw from the 1970s to early 1980s. Her accolades include a Dhaka International Film Festival Award, thirteen FAMAS Awards, eleven Gawad Urian, and five Luna Awards. She served as the Mayor of Lipa from 1998 to 2007, then as Governor of Batangas in 23rd and 25th congress. She also served as the representative for Batangas' 6th district from 2016 to 2022, and as the House Deputy Speaker from 2019 to 2022.

Acting career

Vilma Santos is widely considered the most lastingly successful Filipino film and television actress of all time. She was adjudged the greatest movie actress of the Philippines for the years 2000 to 2020 by the Philippine Entertainment Portal for her continued portrayal of a wide range of award-winning roles as well as for being a consistent box-office draw despite being in the industry for nearly six decades. Vilma's venture into politics made her semi-retire from showbusiness in the late 1990's yet she still emerged as the actress with the most number of best actress awards so far in the 21st century. According to the Film Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards (FAMAS), she is the most awarded actress in acting history.

She started her acting career when one of her uncles, who was a cameraman at Sampaguita Pictures, convinced her to try out for the movies. Initially, Sampaguita Pictures had planned a child star role for her in Anak, Ang Iyong Ina (1963). When Santos was in the studio, she noticed a long line of little girls. Thinking that that line was the line for her audition, she decided to queue in. The long line turned out to be for an audition for Sampaguita Pictures' offering Trudis Liit (Little Trudis).

When it was her turn to audition, she was asked by the panel to sing, dance and cry on cue. She got the part of "Trudis Liit" for which she received the FAMAS Awards Best Child Performer award for 1963.

She was cast in Sa Bawat Pintig ng Puso (1964), Maria Cecilia (1965), Kasalanan Kaya? (1968), Iginuhit ng Tadhana (1965) and later in its sequel Pinagbuklod ng Langit (1969).

Political career

Mayor of Lipa City

In 1998, she entered politics and ran for mayor of Lipa City, Batangas where she won three consecutive elections, becoming the city's first female mayor.

In 2005, the University of the Philippines Diliman conferred on her the Gawad Plaridel Award for her achievements and contributions both as an actress and a public servant. In the same year she was conferred an honorary doctorate degree (honoris causa) in humanities by the Lipa City College. She was again honored in 2006 by UP Diliman as one of the four awardees in UP's First Diwata Awards.

Governor of Batangas

Santos ran for governor of Batangas in the 2007 Philippine general election. She was proclaimed Governor-elect on May 21, 2007, after garnering 475,740 votes against incumbent Arman Sanchez's 344,969, becoming the first female governor of the province. She was reelected to her second term as Governor of Batangas in 2010, defeating incumbent Santo Tomas Mayor Edna Sanchez, who substituted her husband Arman Sanchez who died a few weeks before the election. She was re-elected to her third and final term as Governor in 2013.

On September 19, 2012 President Benigno S. Aquino III presented the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award, considered the highest honor that a public servant can receive in the Philippines, to Governor Rosa Vilma Santos-Recto. She was cited for daring to fight the toughest battles of the Province of Batangas and for addressing the persistent overcrowding in Taal Lake to improve water quality and prevent fish kills.

Member, House of Representatives

After her election for her third and final term as Governor of Batangas, speculations circulated that Santos would run for the national level. However, she declined every offer to run for a higher level. She decided to run as the first representative of the newly formed 6th District of Batangas, would comprise only the City of Lipa. Santos-Recto won by a landslide, defeating Bernadette Sabili.

She is co-author of the SOGIE Equality bill (Anti-discrimination bill), Magna Carta for Day Care Workers, Maternity Leave Increase bill, Cancer Awareness bill, expanded Senior Citizens bill, and Post-graduate Education for Teachers bill.

In September 2018, she switched from the Liberal Party, where she was a member since 2009, to the Nacionalista Party.

On July 10, 2020, Santos became one of the 11 representatives who voted favor to grant ABS-CBN's legislative franchise.

Governor of Batangas (Fourth term)

Santos successfully ran again for governor of Batangas in the 2025 Philippine general election. Her son Ryan Christian Recto won the seat for the Batangas's 6th congressional district but Luis Manzano lost for the vice governor against the outgoing governor Hermilando Mandanas.

Personal life

Vilma Santos-Recto is married to Finance Secretary Ralph Recto. They have one son, named Ryan Christian. She also has one son, Luis Manzano from her previous marriage to Edu Manzano.

Filmography

Television

Film

Awards in film

• 1983 – FAMAS Medallion of Excellence (Child Actress)
• 1983 – FAMAS Medallion of Excellence (Lead Actress)
• 1983 – FAMAS Medallion of Excellence (Producer)
• 1989 – FAMAS Hall of Fame
• 1990 – PMPC Star Awards Darling of the Press
• 1990 – Gawad Urian Aktres ng Dekada '80 (Actress of the Decade '80)
• 1997 – FAP Lifetime Achievement Award
• 1998 – FAMAS Lifetime Achievement Award
• 1999 – PMPC Star Awards Special Citation for winning at the Brussels Int'l Film Festival
• 1999 – Natatanging Artista ng Taon
• 2000 – Gawad Urian Aktress ng Dekada '90(Actress of Decade '90)
• 2000 – Cinemanila Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2000 – Pelikula At Lipunan Special Award
• 2002 – Cinemanila Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2004 – Natatanging Gawad Tanglaw
• 2005 – PMPC Star Dekada Award in Acting
• 2005 – Feminist Centennial Filmfest – Outstanding Achievement in Film Acting
• 2005 – GAWAD PLARIDEL for Outstanding Achievement in Film
• 2005 – GMMSF All-Time Favorite Actress
• 2005 – Gawad Suri Award for Exemplary Film Practitioner
• 2006 – First Pioneer Filipino Animation Awards – for Darna, given by the United Animation Inc. and United Staffing Registry Inc.
• 2006 – University of the Philippines Diwata Awards
• 2008 – 25th PMPC Star Awards Lifetime Achievement Awardee
• 2008 – Fil-Am Visionary Legend Award
• 2009 – 7th ENPRESS Golden Screen Awards Lifetime Achievement Awardee
• 2009 – FAMAS Exemplary Achievement Awardee
• 2009 – Cinema One Original Filmfest Legend Award
• 2011 – Golden Screen Awards Movie Icon of our Time Awardee
• 2011 – Gawad Tanglaw Artista Ng Dekada
• 2012 – Yahoo Awards Major Impact
• 2014 – Cinema One Numero Uno Icon Award
• 2015 – NCCA Ani ng Dangal for Ekstra
• 2016 – FAMAS Presidential Award
• 2016 – FAP Golden Reel Award
• 2017 – Gawad Tanglaw Presidential Jury Award - Best Film Performance
• 2017 – PMPC Star Awards for Movies Ginintuang Bituin ng Penikulang Pilipino
• 2017 – Natatanging Gawad Urian
• 2019 – Gawad Pasado Best Actress Hall of Fame (Films Bata Bata Paano Ka Ginawa?,(1998), Anak (2000), Dekada 70 (2002), Everything About Her (2017)
• 2019 – MMFF Best Actress Hall of Fame
• 2019 – PMPC Star Awards for Movies Natatanging Bituin ng Siglo
• 2019 – SPEED Awards for Movies – Eddys Icon Awards
• 2021 – PEP Greatest Movie Actress for the Years 2000-2021
• 2022 – MMFF Marichu Vera Perez Memorial Award
• 2023 – FDCP Sining Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2024 – GAWAD DANGAL - Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2024 – PMPC - Dekada Award
• 2024 – EdukSine- Pinay American Style - Gawad Alamat ng Sineng Filipino sa Harap ng Camera
• 2024 – CCP Cine Icons Series - Anak - UST - Award of Excellence
• 2024 – CCP Cine Icons Series - Anak - SPUQC - Certificate of Appreciation
• 2024 – FDCP - Tagos ng Dugo - Cinematheque - Certificate of Appreciation
• 2024 – FDCP - Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa? - Metropolitan Theater - Certificate of Appreciation
• 2025 – Asian Torch of Excellence Award - Hall of Fame
• 2025 – Southeast Asian Achievement Awards - Most Outstanding Showbiz Personality and Public Servant of The Year 2025
• 2025 – Manila International Film Festival - Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2025 – Gawad PASADO – Hall of Fame
• 2025 – PMPC Star Awards – Female Star of the Night

Awards in television

• 1998 – Ading Fernando Lifetime Achievement Award – Star Awards for TV

Discography

Albums

• 2000 – Anak Soundtrack
• 2005 – Vilma (CD, collection of 23 songs)

Songs/covers

• 1969 – "Sixteen"
• 1969 – "Da Doo Ron Ron"
• 1969 – "Wonderful to Be in Love"
• 1969 – "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"
• 1970 – "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"
• 1970 – "Something Stupid"
• 1970 – "Bring Back Your Love"
• 1970 – "You're All I Want for Christmas"
• 1970 – "I Wonder Why"
• 1971 – "Abadaba Honeymoon"
• 1971 – "Bobby, Bobby, Bobby"
• 1971 – "Dry Your Eyes"
• 1971 – "Love, Love"
• 1971 – "It's Been a Long Long Time"
• 1971 – "Baby Cakes"
• 1971 – "I Love You Honey"
• 1971 – "Then Along Came You, Edgar"
• 1971 – "Mandolin in the Moonlight"
• 1971 – "Sealed with a Kiss"
• 1971 – "Tweddle Dee"
• 1971 – "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head"
• 1971 – "Don't You Break My Heart"
• 1971 – "Wonderful World of Music"
• 1971 – "You Made Me Love You"
• 1971 – "The Birds and the Bees"
• 1972 – "Rick Tick Song"
• 1972 – "Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)"
• 1972 – "My Boy Lollipop"
• 1973 – "Palung-Palo Ako"
• 1973 – "Walang Umiibig"
• 1974 – "Tok Tok Palatok"
• 1974 – "Isipin Mong Basta't Mahal Kita"
• 1974 – "Batya't Palu Palo"
• 1974 – "Mamang Kutsero"
• 1976 – "Mga Rosas sa Putikan"

Awards in music

References

References

1. "Certificate of Candidacy for Provincial Governor - Santos-Recto, Rosa Vilma Tuazon".
2. "Governor Vilma Santos Recto".
3. Dioquino, Rose-An Jessica. (October 14, 2015). "Vilma Santos running for Congress, to file candidacy on Thursday". GMA News.
4. "Vilma Santos, most successful Filipino actor of all time, receives NCCA award". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
5. "15 Greatest Movie Actresses in Leading Roles, 2000-2020: No.1 - No.5". Philippine Entertainment Portal.
6. (May 3, 2021). "Get to know the Local Actresses with the Most Best Actress Wins since 2000".
7. (2025). "VILMA SANTOS WINS CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE AWARD AT FAMAS 2025".
8. (December 31, 1965). "VILMA SANTOS: REMARKABLE CHILD STAR". The Weekly Nation.
9. "League of Provinces of the Philippines".
10. (July 8, 2005). "Recognizing Vilma Santos: The Thespian and the Nationalist". The Manila Times.
11. "Awards and Recognitions".
12. "Governor's Profile". League of Provinces of the Philippines.
13. Luistro, Marlon Alexander. (May 21, 2007). "Vilma Santos proclaimed Batangas governor". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
14. (2012). "Vilma Santos: Award is meaningful because it's for public service".
15. (May 17, 2019). "'Recount' sought vs Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto, ally".
16. "House of Representatives".
17. (September 21, 2018). "Yellow no more! Vilma Santos joins hubby Ralph Recto in Nacionalista Party". Latest Philippine News Today.
18. Perez-Rubio, Bella. (July 10, 2020). "List of lawmakers who voted for and against ABS-CBN franchise renewal". [[Philippine Star.
19. (May 13, 2025). "Batangas: Mandanas beats Manzano, spoils triple-win scenario for Vilma Santos, kids".
20. "WATCH: Ryan Christian Recto touches netizens with video greeting for brother Luis Manzano".
21. "Vilma Santos on secret marriage to Edu Manzano: "Pati kay mama ko, nakalihim yun."".
22. Villanueva, Nena. (November 15, 1990). "Gretchen's well-programmed career". Kagitingan Publications, Inc..
23. Gonzales, Joseph Peter R.. (August 14, 2023). "Vilma Santos hopeful for MMFF 2023 spot". [[Manila Standard]].
24. (October 5, 2014). "Joel Torre, Vilma Santos Lead Winners in the 11th Golden Screen Awards". The Philippine Star.