JESSE ROBREDO STATE FUNERAL – PHILIPPINE LEGION OF HONOR TO BE AWARDED TO LATE INTERIOR SECRETARY

President Benigno S. Aquino III will confer on DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo the Philippine Legion of Honor with the rank of Chief Commander on the 8th and final day of National Mourning for the late Cabinet official, the palace committee in charge of the funeral arrangements and burial of Robredo said in a news release.

“After the Concelebrated Requiem Mass, the President will confer on Secretary Robredo the Philippine Legion of Honor with the rank of Chief Commander. The Philippine Legion of Honor is considered the highest award the President can bestow without the need for approval of Congress. Secretary Robredo is being conferred the Philippine Legion of Honor for life achievement as Secretary of the Interior and as Mayor of Naga City,” the committee said.

Following the conferment of the Philippine Legion of Honor (posthumous) on the late Secretary, President Aquino will deliver his eulogy. After this,  the late secretary will then be honored with a  State Funeral.

Schedule for the final public viewing, the conferment of the Philippine Legion of Honor, and the State Funeral:

12:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Public viewing and vigil at the Basilica Minore de Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia

8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Preparations for the Concelebrated Requiem Mass

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Concelebrated Requiem Mass

11:00 a.m.
Conferment by the President of the Philippine Legion of Honor with the Rank of Chief Commander (posthumous) on Secretary Jesse M. Robredo.

Ceremony:

• The citation will be read by Secretary of Budget and Management Florencio B. Abad.
• The insignia will be presented by the President to Atty. Leni Robredo, widow of the late Secretary.
• Atty. Leni Robredo or a member of the family will give a response.
• The President will deliver a eulogy for Secretary Robredo, after which the casket will be brought out of the Basilica by casket bearers from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), accompanied by members of the Cabinet as the designated honorary pallbearers of the family.

After the conferment ceremonies, Secretary Robredo’s remains will be transported to the Funeraria Imperial for the State Funeral. The ceremonies will go as such:

• Departure Honors and a 19-gun salute will be rendered by the AFP while the national anthem is played at the Basilica.
• The casket will be loaded onto the hearse, after which the funeral cortege will proceed to the Funeraria Imperial.
• A PNP band and four platoons (from the PNP and the three service branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines) will accompany the funeral cortege, preceding the hearse.
• Alongside the hearse will be members of the Cabinet on foot serving as the Honorary Pallbearers.
• Following the hearse will be the President, Mrs. Robredo, and her children; followed by the late Secretary’s brother and sister; with other relatives, government officials, and other attendees, following, respectively. The distance to be covered by the funeral cortege is 750 meters, with an estimated marching time of 40 minutes.
• At the Crematorium, a three-volley salute will be rendered by the PNP.
• It will be followed by the playing of Taps rendered by the AFP.
• After playing of Taps, the National Flag will be taken off the casket and folded by the PNP-AFP casket bearers, after which the casket bearers will hand over the flag to the President; The President shall then present the folded National Flag to Atty. Leni Robredo. The presentation of the flag will conclude the State Funeral.

The beloved secretary’s early demise shocked the nation. The light plane he was travelling in crashed in the island province of Masbate Saturday, August 18, 2012. His body was recovered after three days of search and rescue operations.