STAR builder German "Kuya Germs" Moreno passed away early morning Friday, January 8. He was 82.
An official statement issued by his nephew, John Nite, stated that Moreno died at 3:20 a.m. due to cardiac arrest.
Moreno was in the company of his closest family and friends.
"We are deeply saddened by his passing but we are comforted by the thought that his legacy will live on," Nite said.
Prior to his passing, Moreno, also called “The Master Showman,” was hospitalized in January 2015 after suffering from a stroke.
He took some time off from work but made a comeback in June on his late night program "Walang Tulugan with the Master Showman."
Moreno was also seen in several press conferences organized by the Kapuso Network.
One of the pillars of the entertainment industry, Moreno started as a maintenance worker of Clover Theater before trying his hand in comedy during the Vaudeville.
He went on to headline "GMA Supershow" for almost two decades (1978 to 1997), making it one of the longest-running weekend programs in Philippine television history.
Moreno further surged in popularity when he hosted then-youth oriented program "That's Entertainment." The show, which aired on GMA-7 from 1986 to 1996, produced some of the biggest names in show business.
Among its alumni are Lotlot de Leon, the late Francis Magalona, Ruffa Gutierrez, Carmina Villarroel, Aiko Melendez, Ian Veneracion, Isabel Granada, Billy Crawford, Maricar de Mesa, Jean Garcia, Dingdong Avanzado, Jessa Zaragoza, Janno Gibbs, Manilyn Reynes, Judy Ann Santos and Gladys Reyes, Rachel Alejandro, cousins Sheryl, Sunshine and Donna Cruz, Nino Muhlach, Keempee de Leon, John Arcilla, Vina Morales, Jackie Lou Blanco, Epi Quizon, Donita Rose, and Iza Calzado, among others.
Moreno also spearheaded the "Walk of Fame" in Eastwood, Libis, the country’s local version of Hollywood's "Walk of Fame."
In 2013, more than a hundred celebrities appeared in "50 Years with Kuya Germs," a three-hour program held at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila that recognized and honored the contributions of the man the industry fondly called "Kuya Germs." (Sunnex)