Belmonte: Reyes a great loss to media profession

The late former press secretary Rod Reyes is a great loss to the media profession, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said yesterday, adding he was saddened by the death of Reyes.

“He was a multi-awarded veteran journalist and editor, broadcast executive and a very dear friend. We were reporters together as teenagers,” he said.

“Rod is a great loss to the media profession having been involved with several noted publications throughout his life. He was best known for going undercover and eventually exposing a drug syndicate in Malabon through his writing in 1961,” he added.

Belmonte pointed out that Reyes was a police reporter for the Manila Times, helped with the birth of the old Manila Standard, was editor for the Manila

Chronicle, GMA Network general manager and executive vice president, and ABS-CBN’s senior vice president, before serving as press secretary to former Presidents Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada.

Among Reyes’ awards were: Journalist of the Year Award, the Ten Outstanding Young Men, Presidential Award Medal from President Carlos P. Garcia and a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University, he noted.

“Rod has worked with and mentored many journalists. He is remembered by most as being naturally soft-spoken and kind. He has become not just a role model but an institution in the field of journalism and will be sorely missed,” he said.

He extended his condolences to Reyes’ wife Vina, his daughter Theresa and son Jun-Jun.

“I am certain that Rod has left his legacy in many places and we send him off to his final resting place with deep gratitude for his service to our government and for enriching Philippine media,” Belmonte said.