Solmirano, ex-Inquirer Southern Luzon Bureau chief, dies; 70

LEGAZPI CITY—Floreño Solmirano, former bureau chief of the Inquirer Southern Luzon, died on Monday night. He was 70.

His family said Solmirano had a cardiac arrest and died.

Solmirano, who started as an Inquirer correspondent in Bicol, was among the pioneers who set up the bureau in 1998.  It covers the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) and Bicol regions. He served as its chief for 13 years until his retirement in 2011.

After his stint in the Inquirer, Solmirano, a native of Marinduque province, served as bureau chief of the Philippine News Agency in Bicol.

He was the founding editor of the Bicolandia Times and served as president of the Albay-Legazpi Press Association.

His body lies in state at the St. Peter Chapels in Barangay Bogtong in Legazpi City. A Mass will be celebrated at 1 p.m. before he is buried at the Forest Lake Memorial Park here on July 6, his 71st birthday.  SFM