Sue Ramirez mourns passing of mother Chit Dodd
MANILA, Philippines — Labor leader Concepcion "Chit" Garina Dodd, mother of actress Sue Ramirez, has passed away months after undergoing open-heart surgery. She was 69 years old.
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) announced her passing the evening of August 17 in a social media post. Dodd was the vice president of TUCP.
"Sa kanyang mahabang paglilingkod sa kilusang paggawa, iniwan niya ang isang mahalagang ambag sa pagsusulong ng kapakanan at karapatan ng mga manggagawa," said TUCP. "Higit sa kanyang paglilingkod sa labor movement, siya rin ay isang mapagmahal na ina na naging haligi at inspirasyon ng kanyang pamilya."
TUCP extended its condolences to the family, friends, and all in the labor community who knew the National President of the Confederation of Labor and Allied Social Services.
"Maraming salamat, Sis. Chit, sa iyong serbisyo at walang sawang paglilingkod. Mananatili ang iyong alaala at pamana sa kilusang paggawa. May your soul rest in eternal peace," the group ended.
An hour after TUCP's post, Sue shared in an Instagram story a photo of her with her mother seated while holding a bouquet of flowers.
"Mahal na mahal na mahal kita," Sue wrote in text accompanied by a white heart emoji. Her next Instagram story was a rainy video of her being driven along EDSA at night where she wrote "Kasabay kong umiiyak ang langit."
Javi Benitez, congressman of Negros Occidental's (where Dodd is from) third district and Sue's ex-boyfriend, paid tribute to the labor leader on his own Facebook account with a photo of Dodd holding another bouquet gifted by the politician.
"This is how I will remember Mommy Chit... flowers in her arms, that radiant smile, beautiful and completely herself," said Benitez. "Make no mistake, she was not soft. She had strong opinions and stronger principles, and she fought for the Filipino worker like it was personal. So when she smiled at you like this, you knew you mattered."
Earlier this year, Sue made a public call for blood donors and prayers as her mother was to undergo open-heart surgery.
"It's so painful seeing my mom in that condition na pinagdaanan din ng dad namin before he passed away. My mom is a very strong person pero mukhang hindi na niya kayang lumaban," Sue told Pang-masa last June.
Sue's father, James Dodd, was a retired senior officer of the United States' State Department. He passed away in 2013, leaving his wife, Sue, and the actress' four older siblings.
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