'Paalam pogi' shirts sold in Naga City on eve of Robredo funeral

"Paalam Pogi (Goodbye Pogi)."

This was the message printed on many yellow shirts sold in Naga City on the eve of the state funeral for the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo.

"Pogi," a Filipino word that means "handsome," is the nickname of Robredo in Naga City, where he served as mayor for 19 years.

Many of the shirts were sold near the Basilica Minore de Peñafrancia where Robredo's remains were brought on Monday morning, radio dzBB's Benjie Liwanag Jr. reported.

President Benigno Aquino III will lead a state funeral for Robredo on Tuesday.

Robredo died in a plane crash off Masbate last Aug. 18. The crash also killed the pilot and co-pilot of the plane. Only Robredo's aide survived.

The late official's remains arrived in Naga City on Sunday after being brought on Friday to Malacañan Palace where Manila-based officials and ordinary citizens paid their last respects to him. - VVP, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Robredo remains arrive at Naga basilica after procession marked by water salute

The remains of the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo arrived at the Basilica Minore de Peñafrancia in Naga City after a funeral cortege marked by a water salute and more shows of respect from residents.

Security was tight at the basilica as the Philippine National Police accorded arrival honors for Robredo's remains, which arrived at 9:45 a.m., radio dzBB's Allan Gatus reported.

No vehicles were allowed inside the basilica compound except for those bearing Robredo's immediate family, the report added.

A separate report by dzBB's Benjie Liwanag Jr. said the PNP honor guards at the basilica came from the PNP national headquarters.

Earlier, the remains departed Naga City Hall and passed through some streets in the city en route to the basilica.

A water salute greeted the cortege on Panganiban Avenue, while residents stood along the streets of the route.

Some residents had tarpaulins expressing their love for Robredo, who served as their mayor for 19 years.

Robredo died in a plane crash in Masbate last Aug. 18, while en route to Naga from Cebu.

Following the transfer, public viewing and vigil at the basilica will resume at 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., when the archdiocese will offer a Mass for Robredo.

The public viewing and vigil will then resume at 6 p.m. until midnight. –KG, GMA News

article source: gmanetwork.com

State funeral set for Robredo accepted by his family, Palace says

The Palace said the family of the late Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo has accepted the offer of President Benigno Aquino III for a state funeral, which Malacañang says is the “highest kind of funeral” a nation can give to its citizens.

This was disclosed on Wednesday at a Palace press briefing by Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Undersecretary Manuel Quezon III, according to details in the second bulletin of the Committee on Funeral Arrangements and Burial, following its creation on Tuesday.

“Ang state funeral is the highest possible kind of a funeral that a republic can give,” Quezon said.

On questions of whether Robredo’s remains in the Palace will be open to public viewing, and where exactly in Malacañang Robredo’s remains will be placed, Quezon said these will be tackled by the next bulletin of the Committee on Funeral Arrangements and Burial.

He also said Robredo’s remains will not be brought to the DILG office in Quezon City anymore.

“The wishes of the family were that we should keep the transporting of the remains to a minimum. And also, in consultation with the DILG itself, it was felt that this would be a better venue considering they have also limited space in their own building,” Quezon said.

Quezon said there will be minor differences in state funerals according to one’s rank and the number of guns in gun salutes.

“But the essential elements are the same in all state funerals. It is the highest kind of funeral that the government can give. It is the kind that is given to heroes, for example,” Quezon said.

State funeral

There are two types of ways people can be given state funerals, the first being people specified by law to be given such commemorations, such as Presidents, Vice Presidents, Speakers of the House, Senate Presidents, National Artists, and Medal of Valor awardees.

The second, said Quezon, is based on the President’s prerogative to grant state funerals to people “who are considered worthy.”

Quezon said an honor guard at present is standing vigil at the Archbishop’s Palace in Naga City, where Robredo’s remains will be until Friday, August 24.

On Friday morning, the late secretary’s remains will be brought to Malacañang. Departure and arrival honors will be given from Naga City to Manila by various agencies such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Presidential Security Group, and the Philippine National Police.

Robredo’s remains will lie in state from Friday to Sunday morning in Manila, and afterward will be brought back to Naga.

Honors

Quezon said the following honors to be rendered at Robredo’s state funeral will be: an escort battalion, a funeral cortege or procession, arrival honors at the interment, a gun salute, a three-volley salute, the playing of taps, and the handing of the Philippine flag on the coffin to Robredo’s widow, Leni.

Robredo died when the Piper Seneca plane he was in with three others crashed off Masbate on Saturday.

Robredo's remains were recovered Tuesday morning, three days after the crash.

The plane was heading for Naga from Cebu when it crashed off Masbate.

Retrieval operations are still ongoing for the bodies of pilot Captain Jessup Bahinting and co-pilot Kshitiz Chand.

Only Robredo's aide, Senior Inspector Jun Abrasado, survived the tragedy.

'One of a kind'

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Robredo’s replacement will have big shoes to fill.

“Well, Secretary Robredo is one of a kind. He is a Magsaysay awardee. He has proven his competence in local governance and he has shown himself as capable also of speaking and engaging politicians in the entire political spectrum,” Lacierda said in the briefing.

Aquino on Tuesday appointed Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr. as the officer-in-charge of the DILG. The DILG supervises the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

That same day, the Palace issued Memorandum Circular No. 36, creating the Committee on Funeral Arrangements and Burial. It is an inter-agency committee tasked to handle preparations for the state funeral of Robredo.

Later in the day, the committee came out with its first bulletin detailing the public viewing of Robredo’s remains in Naga City and information on masses that will be conducted in Metro Manila.

The bulletin also stated Proclamation No. 460 declared during the day, commencing the National Days of Mourning in honor of Robredo until his interment on Tuesday, August 28.

“[F]or a period of six (6) days, the national flag shall be flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset in all government buildings and installations in the Philippines and in our posts abroad,” the proclamation stated. – KG/RSJ, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com