Photojournalist Rene Lumawag dies at 74

Veteran photographer Rene Lumawag chats with Elizabeth Zimmerman, ex-wife of President Rodrigo Duterte, at the opening of his exhibit — “Duterte Through The Years” — in June 2016 in Davao City. (File photo by NESTOR CORRALES / INQUIRER.net)

DAVAO CITY, Davao del Sur, Philippines —Renowned photojournalist and presidential photographer Renato “Rene” Bernardino Lumawag passed away in a local hospital here at 6:23 p.m. on Monday due to a lingering illness. He was 74.

Lumawag, who inspired quite a number of young photographers here, had worked as chief photographer in various local papers in Davao, including the Mindanao Bureau of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

In 2016, he joined the Presidential Photographers Division under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, whose pictures he had been taking since his days as Davao City mayor.

Lumawag was one of the founding members of the Camera Club of Davao (CCD).

He was also among the select fellows of the Diploma in Photojournalism program of the Asian Center for Journalism (ACFJ) at the Ateneo de Manila University, which he finished with flying colors.

He is survived by his wife Minerva; children Renee Belle, Melanie Ruth, April John, and Tyron Kristoffer.

His photojournalist son Geneboyd Lumawag died in Jolo, Sulu on Nov. 12, 2004.

The wake of Tatay Rene, as he is known among his colleagues in the Davao media, will be at Trevi Room at the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes on Camus Street, Davao City.

(Editor: Alexander T. Magno)