Babalu (comedian)

Babalu
Babalu
	Babalu in Oki Doki Doc (1996)
Born	Pablito Sarmiento Jr.; June 29, 1942; Sampaloc, Manila, Commonwealth of the Philippines
Died	August 27, 1998 (aged 56); Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines
Resting place	Loyola Memorial Park ; Parañaque
Occupation(s)	Actor and comedian
Years active	1964–1998

Pablito Sarmiento (June 29, 1942 – August 27, 1998),^[1] better known as Babalu, was a Filipino comedian and actor. His screen name was a reference to his long chin ("baba" is the Filipino term for "chin") of which was sometimes a subject of on screen ridicule, usually by himself.

Personal life

He grew up in Sampaloc, Manila in his grandmother's home with his mother, one sister and three brothers. Babalu fathered a son. For several years and until his death, he was living with his long-time partner who eventually became his wife prior to his death, with whom he had a child.

Acting career

Babalu is considered as "one of the most famous, beloved, and greatest comedians" in the Philippines. He is the nephew of the famous actor Panchito Alba. Dolphy, the king of Philippine Comedy, discovered Babalu's talent as a comedian. Babalu was given a featured role on the Philippines' leading comedy-variety show Buhay Artista. His appearances in movies and television included the shows Home Along Da Riles and Oki Doki Doc. Babalu's life story was featured on the television show Maalaala Mo Kaya "Imahe ng Berhen" on July 3, 2003.^[2]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role
1972	Ibong Adarna	Prinsipe Albano
1994	Hataw tatay hataw
1994	Greggy en' Boogie: Sakyan mo na lang, Anna
1995	Boy! Gising!
1995	Home Sic Home
1996	Da Best in da West 2: Da Western Pulis Istori
1997	I Do, I Die, D'yos ko Day!	Domeng
1997	Ang pinakamahabang baba sa balat ng lupa	Bryan
1998	Haba-baba-doo, Puti-puti-poo	Domeng
1998	Tong Tatlong Tatay Kong Pakitong-kitong

Television

Year	Title	Role
1992	Home Along da Riles	Mang Ritchie
1993	Oki Doki Doc	Papsie

Death

Babalu was warned of his health condition in March 1998 but kept his health problems a secret from his co-stars, particularly from Aga Muhlach and the others in the weekly TV shows Oki Doki Doc and Home Along Da Riles, wherein he was a regular cast.

Writer Nene Riego, a close friend of Babalu, said the actor asked his doctor to tell him the truth about his ailment. Babalu was told he only had six months to live. He decided to seek further treatment in Michigan. Doctors there had the same diagnosis and advised him to spend the rest of his life in the Philippines. Babalu came back home on August 14, thin and weak.^{[citation needed]}

Babalu's last two movies were Tataynic with Dolphy and Tong Tatlong Tatay Kong Pakitong-kitong together with Redford White, Bonel Balingit and Serena Dalrymple. He died of liver cirrhosis on August 27, 1998, two months after his 56th birthday, in his home in Antipolo. He was buried in Loyola Memorial Park in Parañaque.^[3] The film Tar-San is dedicated to his memory. Babalu

References

^ "Pablito "Babalu" Sarmiento". Find a Grave. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
^ "Babalu's Story on 'Maalaala Mo Kaya'". HighBeam Research. Manila Bulletin. 2 July 2003. Archived from the original on 20 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
^ "COMEDIAN BABALU DEAD". NEWSFLASH. Archived from the original on 2014-08-19. Retrieved 2014-03-29.

External links

Babalu at IMDb

[1] "Pablito "Babalu" Sarmiento". Find a Grave. Retrieved 23 May 2021.

[2] "Babalu's Story on 'Maalaala Mo Kaya'". HighBeam Research. Manila Bulletin. 2 July 2003. Archived from the original on 20 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.

[3] "COMEDIAN BABALU DEAD". NEWSFLASH. Archived from the original on 2014-08-19. Retrieved 2014-03-29.

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