Nora Aunor: Film star, 71, dies as son breaks news in emotional social media post - has cause of death been revealed?

Nora's son, actor Ian De Leon, broke the news in an emotional Facebook post late on April 15. He said: "We love you ma. God knows how much we love you.. Rest in peace, Mom.. You are always here in our hearts and minds.”

'I love you mommy," Nora's daughter Maret added. A cause for Nora's death has not yet been disclosed, but it's believed that she died in the upscale district of Pasig City in her native Philippines.

While a cause of death hasn't been shared, it's known that Nora was suffering from a long battle with ill health in recent months, resulting in her stepping back from public events. She missed a media conference for her project Mananambal.

The Manila Standard reports that director Adolf Alix Jr shared: “We all know how sensitive the situation of Ate Guy [Nora] is. The doctor has advised her to limit her participation in public gatherings due to her current condition. She wants to be with all of you, but she has to choose which events she can attend."

On X, formerly known as Twitter, fans from across the globe have shared tributes. One wrote: “Nora Aunor’s talent was phenomenal. Her eyes conveyed thousands of emotions, and her grounded performances captured the sadness, grief, and resilience of ordinary Filipinos. A phenomenal talent and one of the greatest ever”.

Nora was born in 1953, one of nine siblings who grew up in poverty. While she started working as a child selling peanuts and water to commuters, things changed when she entered and won a radio singing contest. She went on to enter national competitions, including Tawag ng Tanghalan - a televised show similar to our X Factor - which she won on her second attempt in 1967.

Just months after her win she signed a contract for eight films with a Philippine production company, and also broke into acting on TV with countless light-hearted roles aimed at the youth. Nora married Filipino actor Christopher de Leon in 1975, and welcomed son Ian with him the same year. Alongside Ian, they adopted four other children: Matet and Lotlot, both actresses; alongside Kiko and Kenneth. She and Christopher divorced in 1996.