Farewell, Manoy Eddie Garcia

Veteran actor-director Eddie Garcia passed away on Thursday, June 20 at 4:55 p.m. after being in a coma for 12 days. He was 90.

Garcia suffered a neck cervical fracture while shooting a TV series for broadcast giant GMA Network on June 8 and had been in critical condition since then.

He passed away at the Makati Medical Center and his body was cremated six hours later. According to relatives, Garcia’s wish was to be cremated right away from the death bed.

Personal life and showbiz career

Eduardo Verchez Garcia or Eddie Garcia was born on May 2, 1929, in Juban, Sorsogon.

He had always been private and managed to separate his personal life from his public life. He lived a relatively simple life without any luxury cars and expensive equipment. Garcia was rumored to have had a spouse who died in 2002 due to cancer.

Garcia’s family was among the descendants of Spanish settlers. He had a daughter by the name of Lisa Ortega who lives in San Diego, California. Very little is known about Garcia’s spouse or his family.

Garcia had always behaved professionally throughout his career. He evaded intrigues and controversies linking him to any of his fellow co-stars.

García maintained a healthy lifestyle through exercise, and a healthy diet, preferring fish and vegetables over meat. While still being active as an actor and director when he turned 90, he shared that he still had an active sex life and still went to the gym to remain healthy.

García was passionate about target shooting as a sport. He was a skilled marksman.

In an interview, García said that he never wanted to be an actor but a soldier instead.

“Acting is just a job. It’s an honest way to make a living.” 

He served with the Philippine Scouts after World War II before joining show business.

In 1949, while vacationing from his military post in Okinawa, Japan, he was encouraged to try acting.

Garcia, more popularly called ‘Manoy’ first appeared in the film “Siete Infantes de Lara”

He was contracted under Sampaguita Pictures when he started gaining popularity portraying as hero and villain.

Garcia directed his first movie, “Karugtong ng Kahapon” in 1961.

“I always wanted to be a director. So I said to myself, probably it would take 15 years before I would be able to direct. Luckily, it only took 12 years,” Garcia said in an interview.

In the 1970s, Manoy was in demand when comedy films became popular.

Garcia was the villain of choice by action movie king Fernando Poe, Jr along with Paquito Diaz and Max Alvarado.

In 2012, Garcia received his first international film acting award at the 55th Asia-Pacific Film Festival for his performance in the movie “Bwakaw”. This was Garcia’s most notable film which was an independent venture directed by Jun Robles Lana, a young Palanca award winner and director.

He was last seen as Coco Martin’s nemesis in ABS-CBN’s hit TV action series, “Ang Probinsyano”.

“I want people to talk about Eddie Garcia as an actor who made them laugh when he was doing a comedy, made them cry when he was doing drama, made them excited when he was doing action films.”

Garcia was named “Pinakamahusay na Pangunahing Aktor” award for his performance in the 2018 Cinemalaya film “ML” during the 42nd Gawad Urian Awards in June 2019.

The multi-awarded actor, film director, and producer appeared in more than 600 films and television shows, leaving behind a huge legacy in show business spanning seven decades.

Garcia was uniquely placed as the most nominated and awarded actor and the only FAMAS Hall of Fame awardee for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Director.