MANILA — (UPDATED) Veteran actor Robert Arevalo, whose film and TV career spanned 60 years and also included a stint as a news anchor, passed away on Thursday morning, his family announced. He was 85.

Arevalo’s daughter, Anna Ylagan, confirmed the screen veteran’s passing to ABS-CBN News shortly after the family’s announcement through a statement on Facebook.

"Today is the day that the Lord has chosen to take our dearest Papa home. Robert Francisco Ylagan, a.k.a. Robert Arevalo, peacefully passed away at 10:17 a.m. this morning, Aug. 10, 2023. Praise God for His mercy and grace.

"We are grateful that He has given us the best Papa one can ever wish for. Thank you for loving us the way you did, Pa. Although our hearts are broken, we are comforted by God’s promise that He has a place reserved for you in His kingdom in Heaven where all of us who believe in His son, Jesus, will one day reunite," she wrote.

Arevalo's wake will be held at Arlington Chapels in Quezon City on Saturday and Sunday, Ylagan added.

"Thank you for all your expressions of love and sympathy. We are deeply touched and grateful."

Arevalo, whose real surname was Ylagan, came from a family with a long lineage of illustrious showbiz background. Veteran director and National Artist Gerardo de Leon was an uncle and so was actor-director Angel Esmeralda, who was the father of the late Jay Ilagan, Arevalo’s nephew.

Actor Tito Arevalo was his dad, who was married to Guadalupe Francisco Ylagan, while actress Liberty Ilagan was his niece. Actor-director Conrado Conde was his uncle.

Born in Manila on May 6, 1938, Arevalo was schooled in San Beda College and completed his college education at the Ateneo de Manila University, where he took up Business Administration.

Arevalo started as a drama actor under the banner of Premiere Productions. His wife, Barbara Perez, was a contract star of Sampaguita Pictures under the stable of Dr. Jose Perez. She was being built up then as the Audrey Hepburn of the Philippines. It was Perez’s cousin, George Sison, who introduced them to each other. Sison was a friend of Arevalo’s, who was then also escorting his cousin, Liberty

Arevalo and Perez have two daughters – Anna and Gina – who both graduated from the University of the Philippines (UP). Gina is married to Jojo Villa Ignacio and they have two children – Anton and Erika. Arevalo and Perez also have a son, Christian Ylagan, who joined their family from the time he was born.

While the kids were growing up, Perez deemed it better to stay at home. She didn’t have to work and took care of their children, instead. Arevalo, meanwhile, provided well for the family as he also worked for an advertising agency. Under the Martial Law, he managed Channel 5.

Arevalo and Perez would not have ended up with each other had the former not been really decided to pursue the love of his life. Back in 1961, Perez was sent to Seattle, Washington to participate in the World Fair. That was after she wrapped up the Hollywood-produced film, “No Man Is An Island,” directed by John Monks, Jr. and Richard Goldstone and released in 1962. The film was shot in Manila, that served as the backdrop for Guam.

However, Perez was asked to make a side trip to Los Angeles with then Karilagan models Joji Felix-Velarde and Amalia Fuentes. They visited Universal Studios, where Perez got to meet the likes of Hollywood actor Cary Grant.

Arevalo admittedly got insecure at that time, so that he immediately proposed to Perez by sending her a telegram. He opted not to place an overseas call to her as the rates were really high. Hence, his telegram read, “Come home, let’s get married.”

Perez did return home, nixed the five-year Hollywood contract offered to her and at the airport, she was met by Arevalo who readily asked her, “Will you marry me?” She must have thought long and hard about his proposal during her long-haul, 18-hour flight from Los Angeles to Manila.

After only two weeks, the lovebirds tied the knot in Baguio City on August 11, 1962 at the St. Joseph Church the Worker Parish Church in Pacdal Circle, where Aga Muhlach and Charlene Gonzales also exchanged “I do’s” in 2001.

Arevalo had done a few movies already at that time he and Perez got married. He made his big screen debut in De Leon’s “Huwag Mo Akong Limutin” (1960), which was banned by the censors due to its immorality theme.

Arevalo was also in the cast of De Leon’s “Noli Me Tangere” (1961) and “El Filibusterismo” (1962), both adaptations of Dr. Jose Rizal’s novels. He was also in De Leon’s “The Moises Padilla Story” (1961), Efren Reyes’ “Bangkay Kaming Hahakbangan” (1961) and Artemio B. Tecson’s “Mga Leon sa Lansangan” (1962).

Arevalo and Perez both won the FAMAS best actor and best actress trophies for De Leon’s “Ang Daigdig ng mga Api” (1965).

In 1990, Arevalo won best supporting actor in the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) for Lino Brocka’s “Ama, Bakit Mo Ako Pinabayaan?,” that starred the father-daughter team of Ricky Belmonte and Sheryl Cruz, with Marita Zobel, Gretchen Barretto and Jestoni Alarcon.

Arevalo was the recipient of the Film Academy of the Philippines’ (FAP) best supporting actor trophy for Joel Lamangan’s “Pangako ng Kahapon” (1994). Meanwhile, Arevalo received the Urian trophy from the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino for best screenplay for “Hubad na Bayani” (1977), a film he also directed and starred in.

Arevalo also worked at the helm of three other films – “Akin ang Huling Awit” (1971) with Manny de Leon and Aurora Salve, “Hiwaga sa Pulong Pasig” (1974) with him and Boots Anson-Roa and “Sino’ng Pipigil sa Pagpatak ng Ulan?” (1979) with Pilar Pilapil.

He played Father Zamora in Johnny Pangilinan’s historical epic, “Gomburza” (1977), with Vic Silayan and Tommy Abuel. Arevalo was also in Luis Nepomuceno’s “Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak” (1967), where he was also credited as assistant director, Behn Cervantes’ “Sakada” (1976) and Joel Lamangan’s “Silakbo” (1995).

Through the years, Arevalo also got to work with other actresses on the big screen. He starred with Hilda Koronel, Chanda Romero and Pilar Pilapil in Emmanuel H. Borlaza’s “Marupok, Mapusok, Maharot” (1978), Alma Moreno in Gil Portes’ “Carnival Queen” (1981) and Borlaza’s “Stolen Moments” (1987).

Arevalo also worked with Charito Solis in De Leon’s “El Filibusterismo” (1962) and Nepomuceno’s “Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak” (1967), Lorna Tolentino in Borlaza’s “Katawang Alabok” (1978), Rita Gomez in Ishmael Bernal’s “Pagdating sa Dulo” (1971), Charo Santos in Maryo J. de los Reyes’ “Hindi Mo Ako Kayang Tapakan” (1984), Lolita Rodriguez and Vivian Velez in Celso Ad Castillo’s “Paradise Inn” (1985).

Aside from delivering lines as an actor, Arevalo also delivered the news as an anchor. He was among the personalities who ushered in ABS-CBN’s return on air in 1986 after the Marcos dictatorship. Arevalo co-anchored the newscast “Balita Ngayon” with Mel Tiangco.

He would continue acting on the big screen. Even with young actresses then, Arevalo had a chance to work with Snooky Serna in Eddie Rodriguez’s “Abot Hanggang Sukdulan” (1989), Kris Aquino in Carlo J. Caparas’ “The Vizconde Massacre” (1993) and “The Myrna Diones’ Story” (1993), Aiko Melendez in Olivia Lamasan’s “Maalaala Mo Kaya: The Movie” (1994);

Dawn Zulueta in Caparas’ “The Maggie de la Riva Story” (1994) and “Annabelle Huggins Story: Ruben Ablaza Tragedy – Mea Culpa” (1995), Maricel Soriano and Snooky Serna in Carlitos Siguion-Reyna’s “Inagaw Mo ang Lahat sa Akin” (1995), and Ina Raymundo in Jose Carreon’s “Madame X” (2000).

Arevalo got to share acting credits with Vilma Santos in Caparas’ “Lipa Arandia Massacre: Lord Deliver Us from Evil” (1994), Sharon Cuneta in Caparas’ “The Lillian Velez Story: Till Death Do Us Part” (1995), Alice Dixson in Francis “Jun” Posadas’ “Jessica Alfaro Story”(1995) and Joel Lamangan’s “Silakbo” (1995) and Regine Velasquez and Aga Muhlach in “Pangako… Ikaw Lang” (2001).

Moreover, Arevalo proved his mettle in action genres. He was in Manuel “Fyke” Cinco’s true-to-life take on “Sangley Point Robbery” (1985), Jose Carreon’s “Matimbang Pa sa Dugo” (1995) and Edgardo Vinarao’s “Birador” (1998), all starring Rudy Fernandez, Fernando Poe, Jr. in Ronwaldo Reyes’ “Batas ng Lansangan” (2002).

Arevalo worked with Mauro Gia Samonte in “Walang Panginoon” and Posadas in “Babayaran Mo ng Dugo,” both with Jestoni Alarcon in 1989, Rory Quintos in “Sa Aking Mga Kamay” (1996) with Christopher de Leon and Aga Muhlach, Boots Plata in “Isusumbong Kita sa Tatay Ko” (1999), with Poe, Jr. and Judy Ann Santos.

Among Arevalo’s more recent screen offerings were the film adaptation of the musical “Ang Larawan,” and the teleserye “Dear Heart” — both released in 2017.