Renowned director-playwright Floy Quintos passes away at 63

Floy Quintos, an esteemed playwright and stage director, has died due to a heart attack. He was 63.

His family announced his death in a social media post on Saturday, April 27. "It is with the heaviest of hearts that I, on behalf of my family, announce that Floy Quintos, esteemed playwright and director, but more importantly beloved brother, son, uncle, cousin, nephew, and friend, has returned to the arms of the Lord," Celina Quintos wrote on Facebook, adding that he suddenly passed away in the emergency room after suffering a heart attack early in the day.

Arrangements for his wake at the Arlington Memorial Chapels are still being made. His family said they will post updates on the schedule as soon as they have it.

"We ask for your prayers, love, and support as we navigate this tremendous loss," Celina added.

Quintos' family described him as a "beacon of Philippine culture and the arts," though he also "shone so much firelight for the people closest to him."

"The country, the world, and our home are much darker with this light snuffed out too soon," she said. "We hope to share our light with each other through this time."

Quintos was a Palanca award-winning playwright, director, scripwriter, and poet. He became famous for his plays and musicals such as The Kundiman Party and Angry Christ, among others.

Among his recent works was The Reconciliation Dinner, a one-act play that follows two families, the Medinas and the Valderamas, as they resolve their differences in political beliefs. It ran late last year.

His latest play Grace is running from May 25 to June 16. It was inspired by supposed events that happened at the Carmelite monastery in Lipa, Batangas in September 1948 in connection to the Blessed Virgin Mary.