Glicerio "Cerge" Mamites Remonde (December 21, 1958 – January 19, 2010) was a
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
journalist
A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...
,
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...
and former chairman of
Radio Philippines Network
Radio Philippines Network, Inc. (RPN) is a Philippine Media of the Philippines, television and radio company based in Quezon City. It is the flagship media property of Nine Media Corporation of the ALC Group of Companies; along with the Pre ...
, one of the largest media networks in the Philippines.
Early life
Cerge was born Glecerio Mamites Remonde (later legally changing his name to Cerge) on December 21, 1958, to Teofilo A. Remonde and Florentina S. Mamites in barangay Lamacan,
Argao, Cebu
Argao, officially the Municipality of Argao ( ceb, Lungsod sa Argao; tgl, Bayan ng Argao), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 78,187 people.
Geography
The munic ...
. Some people have said that Cerge was an illegitimate child, however, the truth is, it was his father, Teofilo, who was an illegitimate child. Teofilo Remonde, a bus driver, was the son of Flaviana Remonde. He married Florentina Mamites, daughter of Roman Mamites and Marta Sanchez, on June 25, 1958. Cerge was their one and only child, born six months after their marriage. Teofilo, however, died when Cerge was not yet one year old. After Cerge's father died, his mother remarried to Andres Alburo and from that marriage he had eight siblings: Asterio, Virgilio, Andres Jr., Antonieta, Hemres, Serina, Vicente and Sincero.
Educational life
He was a graduate of the
University of the Visayas
The University of the Visayas (UV) is a private institution located in Cebu City, Philippines. It is the first school in the province of Cebu to attain university status.
History
Vicente Gullas (1898–1970) founded the University of the Visay ...
where he also became professor of
political science
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...
. He later served as chair of the
Association of Broadcasters of the Philippines for six consecutive terms, the only chair to have ever done so.
Career
One of Remonde’s early jobs in media included being a stringer at the
Philippine News Agency
Philippine News Agency (PNA) is the official news agency of the Philippine government. PNA is under supervision and control of the News and Information Bureau, an attached agency of the Presidential Communications Operations Office. It was establ ...
(PNA). He was an anchor for DYLA Interaction, a primetime news and commentary program. He eventually became National Chairman of the
Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas
The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP; en, Association of Broadcasters of the Philippines) is a broadcast media organization in the Philippines which provides its members broadcasting standards. The KBP was organized on April 27, 19 ...
(KBP), and was the first KBP chair to be elected to a 6th term. In 2001, Remonde became press undersecretary in charge of broadcast and the executive director of the Radio Television Malacañang Presidential Broadcast Staff. He also became the president of IBC Channel 13 and of RPN Channel 9. He became Secretary of the Government Mass Media Group (GMMG) in 2004. In September 8, 2006, he was appointed as the lead convenor of the
National Anti-Poverty Commission
The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) is a government agency of the Republic of the Philippines. It coordinates poverty reduction programs by national and local governments and ensures that marginalized sectors participate in government de ...
while still serving as Secretary of the GMMG. Later, he became Director-General of the Presidential Management Staff, and finally, on February 1, 2009, he was appointed as
Press Secretary
A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage.
Duti ...
, a position he held until his death.
Professional affiliations
Remonde was senior adviser to the GRP-NDF Peace Panel. He was also chairman of several organizations: The
Advertising Board of the Philippines
Advertising Board of the Philippines (Adboard) was an advertising trade association in the Philippines. Founded in 1974, it served as a centralized self-regulatory body for the country's advertising industry until its cesure of operations in 201 ...
, the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists, and the Appeals Board of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB). He was also a commissioner of the Communications Committee for UNESCO.
Personal life
He was married to Danish national, Marit Stinus, he had no children.
Death
On January 19, 2010, Remonde was found slumped at his residence in
Makati
Makati ( ), officially the City of Makati ( fil, Lungsod ng Makati), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines.
Makati is the financial center of the Philippines; it has the highest concentration ...
and was rushed to
Makati Medical Center
Makati Medical Center (MMC), also known as Makati Med, is a tertiary hospital in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines with more than 600 beds. The hospital was founded on May 31, 1969. The hospital is owned and operated by Medical Doctors Inc., a ...
, where he was pronounced dead at 11:51 a.m. It was determined that his death was due to
cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and possib ...
secondary to
myocardial infarction
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may ...
. His remains laid in state at the Heritage Park in
Taguig
Taguig (), officially the City of Taguig ( fil, Lungsod ng Taguig), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metro Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 886,722 people. Located in the northwestern shores of ...
until January 21, when they were taken to
Malacañan Palace, before finally being flown home to his native
Cebu
Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 ...
on January 22. He was buried on January 24, 2010, at Argao Catholic Cemetery, Argao, Cebu.
Awards
*Most Outstanding Visayan in the field of Mass Media in 1998
*Most Outstanding Cebuano with former Chief Justice
Hilario Davide, Jr.
Hilario Gelbolingo Davide Jr. (born December 20, 1935) is a Filipino lawyer, professor, diplomat, constitutionalist and former politician, who served as the 20th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines and Permanent Representative ...
(1999).
Historical commemoration
Municipal resolution 215, the street bounded by Isidro Kintanar Street and Zamora Street in Barangay Lamacan, Argao originally known as Carlock Street was renamed in his honor.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Remonde, Cerge
1958 births
2010 deaths
Arroyo administration cabinet members
Cebuano people
Chairmen of Radio Philippines Network
Filipino educators
Filipino journalists
Filipino Roman Catholics
Grand Crosses of the Order of Lakandula
Heads of the Presidential Management Staff of the Philippines
People from Cebu
Presidential spokespersons (Philippines)
Radio Philippines Network people
RPN News and Public Affairs people
University of the Visayas alumni