Reyes spent 39 years of his life in the military service.

The AFP said it is a military tradition to provide funeral honors to members of the Armed Forces “as a ceremonial paying of respect and its final demonstration of the country’s gratitude to the unselfish service rendered by these individuals to the nation.”

Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr., AFP spokesman, said the body of Reyes will be escorted by the military service from the Ascension Columbary on Araneta Avenue, Quezon City, and is expected to arrive at the Saint Ignatius Cathedral inside Camp Aguinaldo at around 10:45 a.m. Friday.

At 5 p.m. on the same day, the Harvard Society will initiate a eulogy for Reyes, who was also former Secretary of National Defense.

Necrological services will follow Saturday, February 12, at 5 p.m. as the remains will be transferred at sunset to the canopy area in front of the AFP General Headquarters building to be followed by a mass at 6 p.m.

Mabanta said from St. Ignatius Cathedral, the remains will be moved to the canopy area to allow more space for the AFP personnel, friends, and family members who are expected to pay their last respect for the late general.

The final mass will be held Sunday, February 13, at 8 a.m. at the canopy immediately followed by the departure honors at the GHQ flagpole.

Mabanta said the escort is expected to arrive at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Andres Bonifacio, Taguig City at about 11 a.m. where the late general will be laid to rest.

“This will be accompanied by one saluting battery of cannons which will offer the traditional 19-gun salute, a military tradition of honoring a former Secretary of National Defense and former Chief of Staff, together with a Brigade-sized Honor Guard comprised of troops from the General Headquarters, the Philippine Army, Air Force, and the Navy for the arrival honors,” said Mabanta.

The Philippine Air Force will also provide flower petal drops during the procession before the remains of the late Chief of Staff is laid down to its final resting place where another set of 21-gun salute will be heard.

According to AFP chief, Gen. Ricardo A. David Jr., “The Armed Forces of the Philippines joins the family of the late Gen. Reyes in mourning for the death of a national leader, indeed one of the finest soldiers to have led the AFP. The AFP shall provide honors to the late Gen. Reyes, an honor befitting a former SND, CSAFP and a soldier.”

Reyes started his career in the military when he joined the Philippine Military Academy in 1962, and graduated as member of Class 1966.

While in the service, he earned such awards as: Award of the Distinguished Service Star with 1st Bronze Anahaw Leaf after the Silver Anahaw Leaf (7th Award of this kind); Philippine Legion of Honor (Degree of Commander); Military Outstanding Achievement Medal; Award of the Gawad sa Kaunlaran; Military Merit Medals; Silver Medal; Military Commendation Medals; Military Civic Action Medals; Ulirang Kawal Award; Long Service Medal with 2nd BSD; Anti-Dissidence and Campaign Medal and Ribbon; Mindanao-Sulu Campaign Medal and Ribbon; Luzon Anti-Dissidence Campaign Medal and Ribbon; Combat Commander “Kagitingan Badge” (Highest Level); Adjutant General’s Service Badge; Award of Marine Command Badge (Honorary); Crossed Rifles and Anchor Award; Award of Flag Command-at-Sea Badge Rank of Admiral (Honorary); PAF Gold Wings (Honorary); Honorary Member, Philippine Marine Corps; and Honorary Member, Phil. Army Cavalry.

On March 19, 2001 under the Arroyo administration, he was sworn in as the 23rd Secretary of National Defense. Two days earlier, on his 56th birthday, he retired as the 27th Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, closing a 39-year military career. While he was DND Secretary, he was also National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) chairman.

Grandchildren sing for Angie

It was the second night of the wake, so full of fond memories and made more meaningful by simple ceremonies for former Reyes, but the night, was somewhat given a more mellow and perhaps even a more happy tone by four angels, despite the understandably sad atmosphere at the Ascension Columbary on Araneta Avenue, where his body currently lies.

The “darlings” of their dear Lolo Angie (Grandfather Angie), former Department of Energy Secretary Reyes’ very dear grandchildren – Thea, Nikki, Andie, and Raffy – put a fitting end to the night's eulogy, with their rendition of their grandfather's favorite song, “What a Wonderful World,” a song written and made popular by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss.

Egged on by their parents and relatives, the four children were hesitant at first to sing, but further encouragement, and the warm faces of the crowd that had gathered at the function room at the second floor of the Ascencion Columbary where the former AFP Chief of Staff's remains currently lie, the children finally obliged and started to sing, allowing each other to do a solo of a stanza of the song before finally ending it in a chorus, lovingly dedicated to their Grandpa.

After they had done their simple but such a mood-setting gesture, the friends, family members, visitors, acquaintance, co-workers and even the media people who had been allowed to witness the night's “program”, erupted into an applause, as if to say that we and your grandfather appreciated the gesture.

The family was still evidently grieving, as probably highlighted by the late secretary's wife Teresita's request not to be interviewed by the media.

No dull moment with Reyes

The night's program which started at around 8:30 p.m. was ushered in by eulogy rendered by Colonel Noli Espejo, one of Reyes' classmates from Class 66 of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

Espejo said that if his classmate was still alive, the latter would simply say “kaya natin yan!” (We can do it!) or say “Be strong, your father has reared you to be strong.”

He continued by saying that the government official would advise them to “make a name for yourself, just like your father made a name for himself.”

Espejo said that there was never a dull moment with Reyes. He described him as having a loud voice or “malakas ang boses.”

Espejo's eulogy was the followed by another eulogy by Lt. Gen. Raul Urgello, which basically detailed a table published on the front page of Manila Bulletin's February 9, 2011 issue.

Lt. Gen. Urgello said that “the Bulletin, basically made his task easier,” as detailed in the said table was basically the late Reyes' life and career highlights, from his birth in 1945 to the last significant post he occupied in February 15, 2006 wherein he served as Department of Energy Secretary under then President and current Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

May I visit Angie?

President Aquino Thursday said he would seek the permission of the Reyes family if he could visit his wake and personally extend his condolences to them.

The President admitted that he doesn’t want to add to the burden of the grieving family “if my presence there would not be appreciated.”

“I’m really thinking about it. At the same time, we’re in the process of really unearthing everything that transpired and maybe I’ll ask the family if there’s an issue if I attend,” he told reporters in the Palace.

Elena Aben & Rizal Obanil, Manila Bulletin