Susan Roces


Jesusa Purificacion Levy Sonora, better known by her screen name Susan Roces, is a Filipina actress and widow of Ronald Allan Kelley Poe, better known as Fernando Poe, Jr. She was a main cast member of John en Shirley, a comedy show that aired on ABS-CBN until October 2007. She is also known for the main role of Flora "Lola Kap" S. Borja-de Leon from FPJ's Ang Probinsyano which began airing in ABS-CBN from September 28, 2015 to present as of 2020.

Family

Born to a French American mother of Jewish descent and a mestizo father of Spanish and Chinese descent, Roces is a member of one of the country's biggest clans, the Locsin family of Negros Occidental. The clan’s eponymous forebear, Wo Sin Lok, was a peddler from Xiàmén who emigrated to the Philippines and firstly settled in Molo, Iloilo City. He was received into the Catholic Church with the name Agustín Locsín, marrying Cecilia Sayson of Molo. Roces' sister, Rosemarie Sonora, and niece Sheryl Cruz are also actresses.
Roces married Fernando Poe, Jr. and they have an adopted daughter, former MTRCB Chairperson and now Senator Grace Poe.

FPJ's legacy

On June 29, 2005, she was a key figure calling for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. In a fiery speech, she claimed that "She stole the presidency not once, but twice!"
On September 29, 2007, ABS-CBN acquired the exclusive rights to the movie library of Poe after Roces signed the contract. ABS-CBN Chairman Eugenio López III, Cory Vidanes, Senior Vice President of TVP Production, and Poe's daughter, Grace Poe, were present.
On December 14, 2007, Roces led the annual memorial rites for her husband by leading a mass visit to his tomb. Small Christmas cards that read "Dear Uncle Ronnie, I love you, I miss you" were placed near flowers on Poe's tomb.
On December 23, 2007, 9:30 p.m. Alay ni Da King: a Fernando Poe, Jr. Special was shown in ABS-CBN Channel 2 and was hosted by Charo Santos-Concio. Roces contributed on the feature of their married life. A 38-minute music video was also shown featuring various scenes from several Poe's movies, a project Poe himself had just finished working on before he died.

Filmography

Television

Movies