The PUNCH’s Gerry Garcia writes 30
The PUNCH’s former editor-in-chief Gerardo E. Garcia, 87, passed away last July 2, 2013 after a period of lingering illness.
He was rushed to the Nazareth General Hospital unconscious from Basista town where he resided in retirement after complaining of difficulty in breathing.
He was later determined to be suffering from cardio-pulmonary arrest secondary to septic shock. He succumbed to his illness after attempts to revive him proved futile.
Mr. Garcia was the last surviving member of the original team of journalists that started The PUNCH in July 5, 1956 with the late Ermin E. Garcia, founder-editor-publisher.
He assumed the editorship in 1966 when his elder brother Ermin Sr. was murdered in his editorial office.
He became the president of the Pangasinan Press and Radio Club in 1970.
He titled his weekly column “This I believe” in the early years of The PUNCH, then continued the “Punchline by Carl O Cohan” after Ermin Sr.’s death.
He subsequently turned over the column to Ermin Jr. and resumed his column writing titled “Here and there.”
Mr. Garcia’s editorials earned for The PUNCH an award from the Philippine Press Institute.
He retired in 2005 and turned over the editorship to publisher Ermin F. Garcia, Jr. His presence in the paper continued as editorial consultant until his demise.
Ermin Jr. said it was his “Uncle Eding” who took him under his wings to prepare him for the eventual takeover of the management of the paper.
“I had no preparation for the job whatsoever out of college, and he readily taught me writing skills and tips knowing that I was not anything near the proficiency and eloquence of my father in the English language,” he said.
Gerry is survived by his spouse Muriel de Guzman and children Laura Josefa, Gerardo Luis and Geraldine.
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