President Arroyo is welcomed by Marit Remonde (left), wife of the late Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, during her visit to the wake of her former Cabinet member, at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig at dawn Wednesday. (Photo by POL BRIANA JR.)

At dawn last Wednesday, President Arroyo visited the wake of her confidant, late Press Secretary Cerge Remonde whose remains lie in state at the Heritage Memorial Park in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Arroyo was received by the 44-year old widow of Remonde, Marit Stinus who was fondly talking to media shortly before the President’s arrival.

The President hugged Mrs. Remonde, peeked into the press secretary’s coffin and had a 30-minute chat with Marit tackling “all the happy memories that we have,” one of which was the birthday party hosted by the President and her family for Remonde in Hong Kong last December.

Marit said her husband’s death is not only hard for her and his family, but also for the President.

“It’s also hard for the President. She also loves him, he’s a very trusted secretary and a friend. So I know that's a big loss for her. In fact, I asked her if she already thought of who would take Cerge's place, and she said that Secretary Dodie Limcaoco will be an officer-in-charge (OIC. I know that his job was very important, it's hard for the President to be without somebody in the position,” she said in an interview, after the President left the wake.

The President told Marit that she and Remonde were scheduled to have a trip in Pampanga. “I told her that I had joked Cerge before that he should run for a board member of Pampanga because he would be sure to win. I told him that, and he laughed. He said, Yeah. I told the president and she also laughed also.”

During the brief visit, the President, accompanied by her son, Camarines Sur. Rep. Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo and his wife, sat beside Marit in the front row.

The President said she has myriads of fondest memories with Remonde, who was a broadcast journalist before joining the official Family.

“He got along very well with my grandson, Diggy, because Cerge has no children so he was very fond of my grandson,” Mrs. Arroyo said.

Diosdado Miguel Luis "Diggy" Arroyo is President’s first grandson from her son, Dato and Kakai Manotoc-Arroyo who also attended the l wake.

Before leaving, the President told a small group of reporters that “proper citations” will be given to Remonde, one of her longest serving Cabinet members who died of cardiac arrest last Tuesday morning at his residence in Bel-Air Village, Makati City.

“I'll discuss with Executive Secretary Ed Ermita the proper citations that we can accord him,” she said.

The President admitted that her Official Family lost a most competent, faithful, and loyal member. “He will be sorely missed.”

Before boarding her vane, Mrs. Arroyo also took the opportunity to ask the media whether or not they are in favor of her recent appointment naming Secretary Conrado ‘Dodie” Limcaoco, head of the Philippine Information Agency, as acting Press Secretary.