Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

The radio program, Tuloy ang Ligaya made Sylvia La Torre a household name in the Philippines in the early 1960s. It spawned the phenomenal noontime TV show Oras ng Ligaya, which catapulted her to become the most popular female celebrity in the country at the time. And now, 70 years after she won in her first singing contest at the age of five, Sylvia La Torre continues to reign as the Philippines’ Queen of Kundiman. Tuloy- tuloy pa din ang ligaya!ylvia La Torre

Born in June 4, 1933, Sylvia is the daughter of kundiman and opera singer Leonora Reyes and famous Sampaguita Pictures director Olive La Torre. Leonora gave Sylvia her first voice lessons. At the age of 5, Sylvia joined her first amateur singing contest and emerged as the champion, defeating much older competitors at the Savoy Theater in downtown Manila.

At age seven, she became a certified film star via Ang Maestra (1941). When she was 9 yrs old, Sylvia started stage theater acting. During WWII, she was a staple in stage shows at the Life Theater, where she performed with Pugo and Tugo, Tony Santos Sr. and Rogelio de la Rosa. After the war, she joined the biggest names in the industry at that time, including Bayani Casimiro and Katy de la Cruz, in the Manila Grand Opera House.

Sylvia took up music at the University of Sto. Tomas after World War II. She said priests who heard her singing gave her a scholarship at UST’s Conservatory of Music.

In 1950, she recorded her first song entitled Si Petite Mon Amour for Bataan Records. She later moved to Villar Records where she cut around hundreds of songs, ranging from kundiman to balitaw to novelty songs. Known for her high soprano voice, she is the first soprano who broke through the pop culture successfully in the Philippines. Tagged as the Queen of Kundiman (traditional love songs), she recorded around 400 singles from 1950 to 1970s.

She joined the movies due to the prodding of her father, Olive La Torre, a known director with Sampaguita Pictures. She started in minor roles but eventually starred in lead roles in the movies Ulila ng Bataan, Ang Asawa Kong Amerikana, Buhay Pilipino, and Takassa Bataan. In 1958, she appeared opposite Nida Blanca and Leroy Salvador in the LVN movie Tuloy ang Ligaya. Together with Pugo, Bentot, Rosa Aguirre, and Eddie San Jose, she made a string of LVN movies. Among them were My Little Kuwan, (1958), Puro Utos, Puro Utos, (1959), Yantok Mindoro and Nukso ng Nukso, (1960), and Oh Sendang! (1961). Her last screen appearance was in the Regal Films produced movie Kasal-kasalan, Bahay-bahayan (1993).

Sylvia also gained great success on radio, where she immortalized the character, ‘Ibyang’ in the radio comedy Edong Mapangarap. It was so successful it spawned the hit Sebya series, including Sebya, Mahal Kita and Nukso ng Nukso. Since then, Sylvia has also been called ‘Ibyang’ in showbiz.

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