Thousands send off Bellita

CEBU, Philippines - Family, relatives, friends and fans paid their last respect to radio reporter and anchorman Marlon Bellita who was laid to rest at Pardo Catholic Cemetery in Cebu City yesterday afternoon.

Bellita, 41,  became famous for his many voices that allowed him to play several funny characters in his radio program Rated R, died last  Tuesday.

He was in coma at the Intensive Care Unit of Chong Hua Hospital for two weeks due to brain aneurysm.

Bellita left behind his wife, Hazel, and their three children aged 15, 10 and six.

His funeral convoy, composed mostly of his listeners,  from his house in San Isidro, Talisay City to Pardo Parish caused a traffic snarl.

Joy Tumulak, executive assistant of the City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM), estimated the crowd at around 5,000.

Agnes Bacalso, 48, of barangay San Roque, Talisay City, said she braved the heat of the sun and the crowd to say goodbye to a neighbor and a friend.

Bellita and his family used to live in San Roque before they moved in to their new house in San Isidro early this year.

Bacalso, a barangay health worker, said Bellita was supportive of their cause, that his death left a certain degree of emptiness in their hearts.

"Naguol mi ron nga wa na si Sir Marlon. Pero sa laing bahin, malipayon pud mi, kay nahimutang na siya," said Bacalso.  (We are saddened because he is gone but we are also happy because he is at peace now.)

For his part, Vincie Monterde, president of Media in Cebu South (MICS), an organization of reporters covering the first congressional district is also saddened by the loss.

Bellita was one of the pioneering members of MICS and served as its president in 2008.

"Dako kaayo'g kahaw-ang nga wa na si Marlon sa MICS. He was not just a friend to us, he was our brother. Wa na nang kumpetensiya, kay igsuon naman among treatment sa usag usa," Monterde said adding that Bellita will always be in the hearts of the MICS members.

Fr. Mike Hisoler, in his homily at the requiem mass, reminded Bellita's relatives and friends that there's life after death.

He said faith should help them cope with their grief.

Hisoler said he knew Bellita, being a parishioner of Pardo Parish.  Bellita took his difficulties in life as a challenge.

He even used his difficulty in pronouncing the letter "R", hence the program Rated R,  as his way to bring joy and laughter to his listeners.

"He used these as a challenge. Ang mga masakiton, mag-agik-ik samtang maminaw niya. Even with these difficulties, he still made others happy," the priest said.

He said Bellita's commitment to make others happy paid off that in his death, even those he did not know personally showed up to give financial support to his family.— MBG (FREEMAN)