Famed director Marilou Diaz Abaya has died of breast cancer earlier today, October 8, 2012.

According to a report by TV Patrol, Abaya succumbed to cancer around 6:45pm on Monday at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig.

The “Jose Rizal” and “Muro Ami” director was considered as one of the country’s finest filmmakers having won numerous awards from the Gawad Urian, the Film Academy of the Philippines, FAMAS, Star Awards and the Catholic Mass Media Awards.

She was survived by her filmmaker husband Manolo Abaya and two sons David and Marc.