Veteran film, theater thespian Rustica Carpio dies at 91

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 2) – Veteran film and theater actress Rustica Carpio died at the age of 91 on Tuesday, her niece confirmed in a social media post.

Carpio died at their home in Imus, Cavite due to complications from old age.

The veteran actress is best remembered for her role as Lola Puring in the Brillante Mendoza-helmed 2009 film "Lola," where she won numerous accolades, including best actress awards in the Gawad Urian, the Fajr International Film Festival in Iran, and the Las Palmas International Film Festival in Spain.

Carpio also appeared in numerous Filipino films and some international movies, most notably playing an Abu Sayyaf hostage victim in another Mendoza-directed film "Captive" with Hollywood and French actress Isabelle Huppert.

The film and theater thespian earned her undergraduate degree at the Philippine College of Commerce (now Polytechnic University of the Philippines), received her master's degree at the Manuel L. Quezon University, and completed her doctorate degree in literature at the New York University.

Aside from being an actress, Carpio was also an educator. She was the first dean of the College of Mass Communication of two institutions -- the PUP and the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

Carpio also bagged a Palanca award and became a stage director in different theatrical plays.

She also served as a board member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board from 1996 to 1998 and a member of the Movie Committee on Appeals of the Videogram Regulatory Board (now Optical Media Board) from 1998 to 2000.