He was highly regarded as a theater pioneer, teacher, and progressive thinker who was detained multiple times during martial law in the Philippines.

[2] Musical scorer Lutgardo Labad described the film as "a major cinematic coup that unearthed the inhuman conditions of our people then.

[5] Cervantes' name is on the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Wall of Remembrance,[1] which recognizes heroes who fought against martial law in the Philippines under Ferdinand Marcos.

"[4] It starred Rosa Rosal, Robert Arevalo, Hilda Koronel, Alicia Alonzo, Pancho Magalona, Bembol Roco, Gloria Romero,[4] and Tony Santos Sr.[10] After the movie had spent three weeks in theaters, Marcos ordered the military to seize copies of the film.

[11] He appeared in the films Bomba Star, Aguila, When I Fall In Love, Memories of Old Manila, Waiting in the Wings, Alas-Dose, Ang Anak ni Brocka, and Barako.

[15] He is believed to have coined the term edifice complex in the 1970s to describe Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos's practice of using publicly funded construction projects as political and election propaganda.