Trivia

She and Fely Crisostomo are the only women to have won the FAMAS Award for Best Director.

She is the most awarded woman director in the history of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences. She has already received 4 FAMAS Best Director awards.

Studied Liberal Arts, major in Communications, at Assumption College in the Philippines.

Studied filmmaking at the Loyola Marymount University and also in London Film School.

Handled film courses for Ateneo de Manila University.

Contemporary of Peque Gallaga, Laurice Guillen, Mel Chionglo, Danny L. Zialcita and 'Mike de Leon'.

Among her influences are Gerardo de Leon, Lamberto V. Avellana, Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal and Eddie Romero.

She had two sons with her husband, Manolo: Marc Abaya and David.

She died from complications from breast cancer at Luke's Medical Center in Taguig, at 7 p.m. of October 8, 2012.