Former executive secretary and retired general Eduardo Ermita, a key figure in the country’s military and peace efforts for over half a century, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 18, surrounded by his family. He was 90.
His family announced his passing in a heartfelt statement, calling him “a dedicated public servant and our guiding light.” His daughter, Balayan Mayor Lisa Ermita, shared that her father “lived a full life in steadfast service to the Filipino people.”
Ermita’s wake will be held at the Libingan ng mga Bayani from October 18 to 19, then at the Heritage Memorial Park from October 20 to 22. He will be laid to rest on October 23 at the Libingan ng mga Bayani—where soldiers and statesmen rest side by side.
A member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1957, Ermita served through some of the nation’s most turbulent years. As deputy chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) from 1986 to 1988, he remained at his post during coup attempts that tested the fledgling democracy.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Manny Mogato recalled seeing Ermita “stay behind the burning AFP headquarters” during the 1987 coup attempt—an image that, for many, captured his quiet courage.
After his military career, Ermita transitioned into government service, first as undersecretary of national defense and later as Batangas 1st District representative for three terms. Under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, he held several key posts, including acting defense secretary, presidential adviser on the peace process, and, eventually, executive secretary from 2004 to 2010.
Architect of peace
Beyond his reputation as a disciplined soldier, Ermita was widely recognized for his steady hand in peace negotiations. As vice chairman of the government peace panel with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in the early 1990s, he helped lay the groundwork for the 1996 peace agreement under President Fidel Ramos.
In 2023, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) honored Ermita with the Gawad Kapayapaan award, acknowledging his decades-long contribution to peacebuilding.
Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. remembered him as “a soldier and statesman who believed that dialogue, not division, was the path to stability.”
“His legacy is one of principled commitment to dialogue and a steadfast belief in negotiation as the primary tool for resolving conflict,” Galvez said. “He skillfully balanced the demands of national security with the imperatives of peace.”
The MNLF Central Committee also paid tribute to Ermita, calling him “a man of peace who understood that true strength lies in compassion and moral courage.”
A legacy of integrity
Ermita’s career spanned six decades, from the barracks to the Cabinet room, always marked by loyalty to country and calm under pressure. The Department of National Defense described him as “a true public servant worthy of emulation,” crediting him for strengthening the AFP’s professionalism and advancing peace and governance reforms.
For many, Ermita represented a rare bridge between the armed forces and the civilian government—a man equally at home in uniform and in diplomacy. His passing marks the end of an era for those who served with him, but his influence, especially in the country’s peace process, endures.
As he is laid to rest among heroes, Eduardo Ermita leaves behind a legacy of discipline, humility, and hope—a reminder that the highest form of strength is service anchored in peace.