The Cultural Center of the Philippines, with its Board of Trustees, Management and employees, extends its deepest condolences to bereaved family and friends of its former Trustee Zenaida “Nedy” Tantoco, who passed away on February 8, 2024.
A top honcho in the luxury retail industry and a philanthropist, the late Tantoco has been part of the CCP Board of Trustees from 2002 until her resignation in 2021.
During her 19 years as CCP Trustee, her accomplishments were defined by her integrity and reliability, as well as her unwavering love and inspiring passion for arts and culture.
The indefatigable chairman and CEO of the Rustan Commercial Corporation and Stores Specialists, Inc had masterminded numerous fundraising efforts, putting her boundless energy for the benefit of the CCP, its resident companies, and employees.
She has raised funds for new musical instruments and regular repairs of musical instruments of the PPO musicians. She had been instrumental in bringing the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) to the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York.
An impresario of opera in the Philippines, Tantoco had also underwritten several CCP productions, including the opera productions in recent years including Gaetano Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore (The Elixir of Love) in 2017, Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor in 2020, and Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot in 2022, among others.
A staunch supporter of the arts, Tantoco’s legacy will persist at the Cultural Center of the Philippines long into the future.
The CCP and the art community in general grieves the loss of a strong ally in pursuing cultural endeavors and promoting artistic excellence. May her soul rest in peace and rise in glory.
