CEBU -- The mother of ABS-CBN actress Kim Chiu, Louella Yap-Chiu, was laid to rest Saturday morning in their native Cebu, a week after she passed away due to aneurysm at the age of 50.
Louella's remains were laid to rest at Cebu Memorial Park (CemPark) in a funeral attended by her close friends and family, including Kim, who arrived home from Thailand in time for the solemn ceremony.
The funeral convoy had left Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes in Nivel Hills at around 9 a.m. for a mass in St. Therese Parish in Lahug, before it made its way to CemPark.
Kim's father, William, together with her four siblings, led a less than a hundred group of people, all wearing white clothes, to the church for the blessing of Louella.
The mass started at around 10 a.m. with Kim arriving a few minutes after. The actress was seen hiding her swollen eyes with her sunglasses, which she later removed when she entered the church. Her father ushered her inside.
Kim had just arrived from Thailand for a commercial shoot, which she signed two years ago. The actress, according to her father, negotiated that she be allowed to return home earlier than scheduled, having left for the shoot in Thailand during her mother's wake.
During the mass held Saturday, St. Therese Parish was surrounded with police officers to help maintain the solemnity of the service, as several onlookers and fans of the actress gathered outside to take a glimpse.
Only close friends and relatives of the family were allowed in.
Fr. Ronaldo Paulino, who celebrated the mass, shared that he was there when Louella was in the hospital. He said the family had asked his presence for prayers.
The priest, during the mass, told the family to express thanks to Louella, and urged them to forgive her for any shortcomings.
After the mass, the convoy traveled to Cebu Memorial Park (CemPark) through the Cebu I.T. Park following a suggested route by a Feng Shui expert.
At the funeral, Chinese customs were observed, like the burning of some of Louella's belongings and the carrying of her picture by her eldest son.
