Last rites for Robredo

The nation watches the final rites for the late Secretary Robredo. In this contributed photo from President Aquino’s official Facebook account, shown are Robredo’s wife Leni and the three daughters before the casket.

MANILA, Philippines—A man for everyone, that’s how the late Secretary Jesse Robredo was described by Fr. Kulandairaj Ambrose of the Missionaries of the Poor, one of the officiating priests in the recently ended concelebrated funeral Mass late Tuesday morning in Naga City.

“Secretary Robredo has time for everybody. He could take breakfast in Manila, lunch in Cebu and dinner in Naga. He was there for you. He was there for everyone,” Fr. Ambrose said in his homily.

The Jamaican priest said Robredo is a true friend and he had mixed emotions upon learning he was the one to officiate the funeral Mass. “If you feel the ground is shaking, it’s not because there’s an earthquake, it’s because my knees are shaking,” he said.

He enumerated the good deeds the late secretary shown as mayor of Naga.

“In his presence, we felt no worry, he gives hope to everybody,” he said.

In the end, he said Robredo died doing what he loved the most.

Tuesday marks the final day of national mourning for Robredo.

Based on a bulletin from the government official website, the Mass will be followed by the conferment of the Philippine Legion of Honor (posthumous) on Robredo to be followed by the eulogy of the President and the State Funeral proper

“The casket bearing the remains of Secretary Robredo will be escorted from the Basilica Minore de Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia to the Funeraria Imperial. The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police will render departure and arrival honors,” the bulletin said.