Farewell Cerge, Be with God!

The text came a few minutes to lunch Tuesday. “Is it true that Cerge passed away? Please verify/” Appalled, I called our mutual friend Sam Costanilla to inquire and I texted Mayen Tan as well to check on this wishing it were only a bad joke from some ill-humored “textcaster”. Then we checked the web. Sam texted me back saying, “they are still trying to revive him” at 11:57 a.m. Sam wrote me that Cerge passed away at 11:51 a.m.

The many stories from Cerge’s staff and friends that came on TV that night showed how well loved this audacious Cebuano was. Their sorrow was spontaneous and not contrived. Apparently, Cerge was a good boss and friend too, from the many comments and candid clips on interviews that media took of the working staff, colleagues and friends of the Secretary.

In spite of unpopular comments on his loyalty to the president and jibes on his accent, Cerge stood firm and loyal to the country’s Chief of Staff to the end. 

I’ve known Cerge from way back. When we were still training under the Broadcast Production and Training Center (BPTC) of station DYLA. He was our news director then. Though we had only brief encounters, he always remembered us and took time to text back or calls when we would call him for some concerns.

Very vivid to my mind was when we celebrated his birthday and dressed him a diaper and gave him a big nursing bottle. We threw in a bib as well to complete the ensemble. And we rolled with laughter as Cerge pranced about like a toddler. Those were carefree days when we could nudge work aside and have a bit of fun.

Our reunion with BPTC Batch’81-82 and Allan Rabaya Writers Guild last August found us missing Cerge, as he had to attend to some important business of the nation. I recall he kept on teasing me about his lechon which he said would already become paksiw if we didn’t hold our reunion soon. It took some time to fix a schedule for our gathering because of the busy nature of our jobs. We missed him then and we said in our meeting this year, he should already be there. We were even trying to schedule it after elections so he would not be so busy anymore.

But he took his rest. Now. God chose him at his best.

We are sad. But who are we to complain? My heart grieves for Marit who I know is caught by surprise. No amount of condolences may ease the loss and the emptiness that may follow. It was different when Cerge was just a plane away. Now he is on a different plane.

We will miss Cerge. Even if it was some time since we did have a chance to talk and reminisce all the fun we had then. It was different when you knew he was just there.

I can only whisper a prayer. That in God’s hands I entrust my friend. For in HIS hands, Cerge’s prayer for peace shall be accomplished.

Farewell Cerge. Go with God.