MANILA, Philippines — Some members of the House of Representatives mourned the passing of veteran actor Eduardo “Eddie” Garcia on Thursday afternoon, with one saying the Department of Education (DepEd) should identify a school in his home province in Sorsogon which could be named after him.
READ: BREAKING: Eddie Garcia passes away
In a statement moments after the death of the 90-year-old actor, Senior Citizen Rep. Francisco Datol, vice chair of the House committee on senior citizens affairs and member of the panel on veterans affairs, asked the Philippine Army and the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office to “immediately carry out the necessary military honors and benefits” for Garcia who was a member of the Philippine Scouts.
“I also ask the Department of Education to identify the Public High School which Congress can and should rename as the Eddie V. Garcia Memorial National High School in his home province of Sorsogon,” Datol added.
Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr., meanwhile, called on President Rodrigo Duterte to order the half-mast flag honors as well as appropriate military honors for Garcia.
Garbin, whose party-list was endorsed by Garcia in the May 2019 elections, also recommended that the Bicol University create a “Permanent Memorial Exhibit” and “Professorial Chair” at the BU College of Arts and Letters to continue the actor’s legacy in the field of arts.
“Maraming salamat Manoy Eddie Garcia sa mga natatangi mong ambag sa iyong minahal na bansang Pilipinas,” Garbin said.
(Thank you very much, Eddie Garcia, for your contributions to your beloved country, the Philippines.)
“We mourn the passing and celebrate the life of Mr. Eddie Garcia, who has endeared himself to every Filipino family through his sterling craft as an artist and his love for his fellow Oragons in Bicol and the whole Filipino nation,” Datol added.
Garcia had been in critical condition due to a neck fracture after he tripped while shooting a TV series for GMA Network on June 8. A Makati Medical Center medical bulletin confirmed his death at 4:55 p.m. (Editor: Eden Estopace)
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