MANILA, PHILIPPINES — As we enter the second quarter of 2021, yet another individual involved with the local creative industries has passed on. Freelance television commercial assistant director, senior artist, and teacher Jojo Atienza gave his last curtain call on April 9, succumbing to COVID-19 at the age of 59.
Atienza served as a senior artist and teacher for the Philippine Educational Theater Association. His talents also extended beyond the stage as he served as an assistant director in the films Silup and Oh! Pa ra sa ta u wa yeah! He also wrote the screenplay for the 1996 film Mula Noon Hanggang Ngayon which starred Aiko Melendez and Jomari Yllana.
“Jojo was a consummate man of action and compassion,” notes his fellow assistant director Jules Dacanay. “His many years in PETA as a senior teacher/artist attest to that. He has generously shared his skills and talent to advertising for forty years. He has worked with all the giants of the industry, from movie stars to babies, directors both young and seasoned, brands of all shapes and sizes.”
The PETA Family mourns the passing of our much loved kapatid, friend, artist-teacher-member, Jose 'Jojo' Atienza, who bravely ended his fight with COVID-19 as of 11:00 pm last night April 9. pic.twitter.com/hFQknqYbne
— PETA Theater (@petatheater) April 10, 2021
“Agency people know his energy, enthusiasm, and can-do attitude, and if you’d watch him on set, you’d see he was a force of nature—cajoling a performance from the most taciturn kids, beguiling a tired actress for one more take, moving crew and set to always be at their swiftest and finest,” Dacanay added. “These last few months, he was a genuine advocate for stricter protocols in the shooting world. He was adamant about the need for testing and following prescribed working hours. Most remarkably though, he was known for his warmth and kindness. A hug was always forthcoming, welcome, and exchanged.”
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Senior broadcast producer Irene Chingcuangco had worked with Jojo from the 1990s onwards. “I was then a Talent Caster at AB Communications,” she relates. “And when I became a producer, he was the AD I most frequently worked with in Leo Burnett in the 2000’s and as freelance Producer. The last few projects that we worked together on was TBWA/SMP projects for Champion and Mister Donut.”
“Jojo is a team player,” Chingcuangco notes. “In tight and difficult situations, he will take charge and make sure to find a solution to the problem. He always had a smile and a dance on shoot days. He was also a teacher having taken into apprentice several assistant directors and imparted to them the skill and the knowledge of the job. He was not selfish that way. I remember when there would be tensions in the shoot, he would sit beside me and calm me down, listen to me, and see how he can help lighten the load.
Rest in peace Tay Jojo Atienza 😔💔
Hindi ako PETA Member (napagkakamalan lang), pero ever since, "Nak" ang tawag mo sa akin. I will never forget your kindness and your huge heart. ❤️ There are so many broken hearts today, Tay.. Isang mahigpit na yakap!! 💔— Teetin Villanueva 🌸 (@teetinv) April 10, 2021
In a Facebook post, veteran commercial director Sid Maderazo paid his own tribute to Atienza, saying, “You were the safest person on the set – constantly reminding everyone to follow protocols. The last time I saw you was in our shoot the previous month – hindi ko man lang inakala na yun na pala ang huli nating pagkikita. The industry lost a great Assistant Director.”
Nagluluksa ang buong industriya ng Teatro at TV production. Maraming salamat Direk Jojo Atienza. Mahal ka namin. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
— Producers of Manila (@ProducersOfMNL) April 10, 2021
So beloved was Atienza within the local creative industry that several organizations also paid their respects. “The Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines (4As), Commercial Production Houses Group (CPHG), Kapisanan ng mga Assistant Directors sa Patalastas (KAPS), and the whole industry mourn the passing of Direk Jojo Atienza,” their joint statement began.
“We shall forever remember him for the passion and energy that he never failed to bring to our shoots,” the statement continues. “To most of us, he was the guy who brought out the best from our talents and the one our directors counted on from first grind to pack up. To some of us, he was a dear friend who made us laugh, made us smile and made us believe in pure love for work and life. May you rest in God’s loving embrace, Jojo. We will miss you.”
Following his passing, a mass and memorial service was held by his friends on Sunday, April 11, 2021, to celebrate the life and times of Jojo Atienza.
