EDDIE ILARDE DIES AT 85

BROADCASTER and former senator Edgardo “Eddie” Ilarde died on Tuesday, 21 days shy of his 86th birthday on August 25.

Popularly known as “Kuya Eddie,” Ilarde died at 11:40 a.m. in his residence in Makati City.

The cause of death was not determined but his relatives told radio DZBB that he did not die of Covid-19.

Ilarde started from humble beginnings, working as a newspaper boy and as a bootblack before earning his journalism degree from the Far Eastern

University.

He became a staple of Philippine broadcasting as a host and a disc jockey for stations such as the Manila Broadcasting-owned DZRH and the ABSCBN-owned stations DZAQ and DZXL.

He hosted popular advice shows such as “Napakasakit, as well as “KahaponLamang” on DZBB. He also hosted the noontime television show “Student Canteen” alongside Leila Benitez and Pepe Pimentel. Ilarde also had a colorful political career, first running as a councilor in Pasay City, then becoming a district representative for the province of Rizal.

His run for the Senate in 1971 was marked with the bombing of the campaign of the Liberal Party rally at Plaza Miranda, where he was one of those gravely injured. He won as senator that year, but his term was cut short due to the declaration of Martial Law.

He allied himself with President Ferdinand Marcos and ran as an assemblyman under the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan. He served from 1978 to 1984.

His remains were cremated.