EDUARDO Ermita, former Defense secretary, executive secretary, congressman, peace adviser and deputy chief of staff of the military, passed away at his home in Batangas province on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. He was 90.
Balayan Mayor Lisa Ermita-Abad announced the passing of her father on Facebook.
“It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we, the Ermita family, announce the passing of our beloved father… Our father lived a full life in steadfast service to the Filipino people. As a soldier, he served with honor and dedication during some of the nation’s most challenging times,” Ermita-Abad wrote on a Facebook post.
Ermita’s wake begins this weekend at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City. It will then be transferred to nearby Heritage Memorial Park until his interment on Oct. 23 at 11 a.m. at the Libingan.
In separate statements, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Department of National Defense (DND) hailed Ermita as a “distinguished soldier, peacemaker, statesman, and leader” whose decades-long service shaped both the military institution and the civilian bureaucracy.
“He embodied the highest ideals of honor, service and patriotism, guiding generations of soldiers with wisdom and integrity,” the AFP said.
The DND paid tribute to Ermita’s influence beyond uniformed service, highlighting his role in national peace efforts and professionalizing the military.
“His instrumental role in advancing the peace process and strengthening the professionalism of our soldiers remains deeply remembered,” the statement read.
Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, said Ermita “exemplified the finest qualities of a soldier, a true officer and gentleman, a statesman and a peacemaker.”
“Having witnessed the horrors of war firsthand, he developed a profound and unwavering yearning for peace. This conviction propelled him to carve out a unique niche within the military establishment and make the peaceful resolution of conflict the central focus of his service to the government and the Filipino people,” Galvez said in a statement.
Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto and the provincial government also condoled with the family of the “Batangueño soldier and statesman whose life was dedicated to public service.”
Ermita held many key government positions. He served as Deputy AFP Chief of Staff (1986–1988) and Batangas First District congressman for nine years (1992–2001).
During former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration, he served as Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (2001), Acting DND Secretary (2003–2004), and executive secretary (2004–2010).
He graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1957.
Just hours after his death, his elder brother, Dr. Crisogono Ermita, also died at 92. Dr. Ermita was a former AFP surgeon. / PNA