Ninfa Leonardia
BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines — Ninfa Leonardia, regarded as a media icon in Negros Occidental who mentored several journalists, passed away early on Tuesday. She was 89.
Leonardia, who cofounded the Visayan Daily Star in 1982 and became the longest-serving editor-in-chief of the Bacolod City-based newspaper, died of a heart attack at Riverside Medical Center here, according to her brother, Evelio, the former mayor of Bacolod.
Her wake will be held at the Acropolis Gardens in Barangay Bata here until Saturday. She will be buried at Bacolod Memorial Park after a funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Shrine (Lupit Church) at 2 p.m. on Aug. 28.
“Our family grieves the loss of our pillar of strength and clan matriarch. But we are definitely sure that with her lifelong commitment and dedication to journalism, where she had displayed her unique talents and established an unquestioned integrity during all these decades, she will also be missed and honored by the Fourth Estate,” Evelio said.
“As we will dearly miss her, we salute her with our love, respect, and deepest admiration. Our family thanks everyone who had been a part of her life and her work, and who had made her the woman of substance she has become,” he added.
Leonardia was president of the Negros Press Club from 1965 to 1966 and 1979 to 1980. She was also a teacher at La Consolacion College and worked at the Development Bank of the Philippines.
Outstanding Negrense
Leonardia was a mentor to many local journalists who she constantly reminded to be true to the ideals of journalism.
“You are as good as your last story,” was her usual advice to young journalists.
Leonardia was named an Outstanding Negrense by the Negros Occidental provincial government and won the Outstanding Journalists of the Philippines Award from the Rotary Club of Manila in 2003.
She was among the first batch of Mother Rita Barcelo Awardees from La Consolacion College as Distinguished Alumni, Women Helping Women Awardee of the Soroptimist International-Bacolod–1984, and an outstanding journalist awardee of the Negros Press Club.
She is survived by her brothers Evelio and Prospero Leonardia, in-laws and nephews, and nieces.
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