THE DEPARTMENT of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Health (DOH) sent condolences to the family and friends of veteran journalist Melo Acuña who passed away early Friday.
"The Office of the Public and Cultural Diplomacy (OPCD) of the Department of Foreign Affairs extends its deepest sympathy to the friends and family of Mr. Melo Acuña, one of the longest-serving and well-respected members of the DFA Press Corps, who passed away this morning," DFA Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez said in a statement.
"Mr. Acuña was an active member of the DFA Press Corps, a veteran broadcast journalist and beat reporter who always upheld the highest standards of journalism through his professionalism. The DFA-OPCD will miss his partnership and support throughout the years, as well as his warmth and integrity."
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, meanwhile, extended the DOH's condolences to the newsman's bereaved family during a media briefing.
"To the family of Mr. Melo Acuña, nakikiramay po kami sa inyo at ipagdadasal po namin ang kaluluwa ni Mr. Melo Acuña (We express our sympathies and we will pray for his soul)," she said.
Acuña passed away at 2:30 a.m. four days after he was admitted to the Quezon City General Hospital, his wife Ma. Jhona announced on Friday morning.
The family requested privacy during this time.
Acuña started his official journalism career when he landed a job at DWCW-GTV in Lucena where he wrote news, did field reports, and handled late evening platter shows.
He worked full-time at DWGW-IBC in Legazpi City and became a stringer for Reuters and a correspondent for Manila Bulletin from 1980 onward.
In 1994, he joined DZRV-Radio Veritas and covered various government agencies, such as the departments of defense, trade and industry, energy, the interior and local government, and transportation, Commission on Human Rights, House of Representatives, and Supreme Court until he became the station manager in 2004.
He joined the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines media office in 2007 and became a correspondent for China Radio International from 2010 to 2018.
In 2018, he began writing for Asia Pacific Daily and has covered the Palace, defense, foreign affairs, business and trade, health, and energy beats. (Joyce Ann L. Rocamora)
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