Necrological Service for the Late Juan Ponce Enrile Sr. 11/21/2025

Heroes Hall, Malacañan Palace
November 21, 2025

In honor of a statesman whose public service has shaped national policy and political history, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos attend the necrological service for the late Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile Sr. at the Heroes Hall in Malacañan Palace on November 21, 2025.

The President and the First Lady, along with the children of the late Secretary, receive the casket as it arrives at the Palace. A Holy Mass then takes place, attended by family, friends, colleagues and public servants who gathered to honor the life and service of Secretary Enrile.

Secretary Enrile, who passed away at the age of 101 on 13 November 2025, left behind a legacy built through decades of public service, from shaping economic and defense policies to overseeing constitutional transitions.

President Marcos Jr. reflects on his long relationship with his ‘Tito Johnny,’ describing him as an extraordinary public servant, a loyal friend, a mentor, and “a Filipino in the purest and best sense.”

“So that as we grieve the loss of JPE, let us also be grateful that at some time, in the history of the Philippines, there was a man who devoted his entire being to the service of the Filipino,” the President states, recalling the late Secretary’s legacy on generations of national leadership.

Secretary Katrina Ponce Enrile offers a heartfelt tribute, calling her father "a warrior” even in his final days. She shares how the walls of Malacañan Palace have known him as counsel, strategist, statesman and witness to history — and now they welcome him home for the last time.

“You need to know something, Mr. President,” she says. “In those last weeks, when breath came hard and words came harder, his first words to me each morning were always the same: ‘How is the President?’ — not ‘How am I?’” She adds that he has been preparing letters for the President, believing his duty is not yet finished.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile Sr. began his public service career in 1966 as Undersecretary of the Department of Finance (DOF). He later held key positions, including Chairman of the Philippine National Bank (PNB), Acting Head of the Insurance Commission, and Secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND). He served multiple terms in both the Senate and House, authored major fiscal reforms, sponsored the Human Security Act of 2007, and served as Senate President from 2008 to 2013.

His decades-long career leaves an enduring mark on the country’s governance and legislation.


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