Veteran reporter and later Manila Bulletin columnist Floro L. Mercene died of heart failure on Aug. 7 in Los Angeles, California. He was 93.
He is survived by his brothers Recto and Dante; wife Felisa; sons Ovid and Maro; daughters Fleurdeliz M. San Pedro and Jasmine M. Eugenio; grandchildren Francine, Christopher, Andrew, Malaka, Yasmine, Felisha and Elina; great grandchild Derrick; wife Miko Nakajima; daughter Roxy and grandchildren Christopher, Nina and Miguel.
Floro started out as a reporter for the defunct Philippine News Service covering Pasay City, including the old Balagbag Airport where he interviewed arriving Hollywood luminaries such as William Holden, John Wayne, Ingrid Bergman and future US president Richard Nixon.
He was the director of Publication for the Department of Tourism until 1986.
He wrote the book Manila Men in the New World, the Filipino migration to Mexico and the Americas in the sixteenth century during 250 years of the Galleon Trade.
His body will lie in state at the Englewood Park Cemetery Mortuary on 720 E. Florence Avenue, Inglewood 90301.