Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, a diabetic with hypertension problems, was rushed to the hospital after he was found unconscious in his residence in Makati City.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, one of the longest serving Cabinet members of President Arroyo, died Tuesday of cardiac arrest, leaving his family and friends in shock and grief over the sudden loss. He was 51.

Remonde, a journalist prior to joining the government, was pronounced dead at 11:51 a.m. at the Makati Medical Center after efforts to revive him failed. The Palace official, a diabetic with hypertension problems, was rushed to the hospital after he was found unconscious in his residence in Makati City.

“Secretary Remonde was brought to the emergency department of Makati Medical Center at about 11:20 a.m. He was unconscious, not breathing, there was no heartbeat. Although attempts were made to resuscitate, despite heroic measures, he expired at 11:51 a.m.,” Dr. Eric Nubla told reporters outside the hospital. Nubla said they could not yet say the exact cause of Remonde’s death pending an autopsy.

Deputy Presidential Spokesman Gary Olivar, however, announced “with profound sorrow” that Remonde succumbed to heart attack shortly before noon Tuesday.

Remonde is survived by his wife, Maret, who immediately flew to Manila on a private plane from their home province of Cebu.

Olivar said Remonde’s remains will lie in state at the Heritage Memorial Park in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City pending final disposition by his wife.

President Arroyo mourned the loss of Remonde and extended her condolences to his family and friends, according to Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

Ermita, speaking to reporters, said Malacañang will remember Remonde as a loyal and hardworking friend and Cabinet member who will be sorely missed.

"Indeed this is a very big loss," Ermita said of Remonde's death. "He is a very, very close confidant of the President — that is how important his job was."

A temporary replacement will be named soon, Ermita added.

Press Undersecretary Butch Junia first broke the sad news to the media shortly past lunch time. Junia was among the Palace aides and friends who rushed Remonde to the hospital.

Remonde was preparing for work when he was found lifeless and "slumped inside his bathroom" by his driver, according to Ermita. Remonde was supposed to hold a press conference at the Palace at 11 a.m.

Press Undersecretary Maribel Dario said Palace aides started to worry when Remonde was late for the conference. Dario then learned that Remonde did not come out of the bathroom at around 10:30 a.m., or an hour after having breakfast.

Dr. Anthony Leachon, Remonde’s cardiologist, said the press secretary suffered intestinal flu last week but still managed to fly to Cebu to join the annual Sto. Niño festival.

He said Remonde had gained weight and returned to his habit of smoking, which may have weakened his health. Remonde was taking medicines for cholesterol, diabetes, and anxiety in recent months, he added.

"Secretary Cerge Remonde will be sorely missed by his colleagues, his friends, and all who grieve his passing today, even as he will continue to be an inspiration to them and a shining example of a life well-lived in the service of his fellow man and for the greater glory of the Creator above," Olivar said.

Remonde previously served as chief of the Presidential Management Staff prior to his appointment as Press Secretary in February, 2009.

A magna cum laude graduate who earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Visayas, Remonde was a radio commentator and head of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas before joining the Arroyo government as press undersecretary in 2001. He was also head of the Government Mass Media Group during the early years of the Arroyo administration.

Remonde was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Most Outstanding Cebuano in 1999, along with former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., and the Most Outstanding Visayan in the field of Mass Media in 1998.

Before joining the Office of the Press Secretary, he also served as national chairman of the KBP for six years.

“His death is not only a big loss to the broadcast industry which he has really served with utmost dedication but to the country as well. One of his many accomplishments with KBP is to institutionalize training of its provincial chapter officers. With what he initiated the KBP now has a good crop of future leaders. The KBP leadership and its members will definitely miss him," KBP president Herman Basbaño said in a statement.

Remonde, who hailed from Argao, Cebu, was a radio reporter and commentator.

He was the anchor of the highly-rated DYLA Interaction, a primetime show that set the benchmark for public affairs programming.

He was appointed by Mrs. Arroyo in January, 2001 as her Press Undersecretary in charge of broadcast. In 2004, he assumed as head of the Government Mass Media Group which oversees all the various government-owned media entities.  He also served as lead convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission.

He also served as senior adviser to the GRP-NDF peace panel, commissioner of the Communications Committee of UNESCO; and chairman of the Advertising Board of the Philippines, the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists and the Appeals Board of the MTRCB.

Remonde obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, from the University of the Visayas in Cebu City. He took up Cooperation and Development Studies at the Afro-Asia Institute in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1986 and also attended an International Visitors Program hosted by the US State Department in Washington DC in 1992. (With a report from Charissa M. Luci)