Jessica Soho, Mel Tiangco lead tributes on the last night of Cesar Apolinario's wake

There wasn't a dry eye in the room as family, friends, and colleagues of the late Cesar Apolinario paid their final respects at the Loyola Memorial Park on the last night of his wake, Tuesday.

The GMA reporter's News & Public Affairs family prepared a tribute to Cesar on the eve of his cremation with GMA News Pillars Jessica Soho and Mel Tiangco leading the Kapuso family.

“The newsroom is a lonelier place without you," Soho said. "Salamat sa lahat ng mga kuwento, at sa lahat ng naambag mo sa GMA News & Public Affairs.”

Meanwhile, Tiangco said, “Heaven is a better, happier place now that Cesar is there." 

Also present were GMA Senior Vice President for News and Public Affairs Marissa Flores and GMA First Vice President for News Grace Dela Peña, who said, "Ibang klase talaga si Cesar." 

Flores added: “Thank you, Cesar. We love you. It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later."

Vicky Morales, Arnold Clavio, Raffy Tima, and Mariz Umali were also present.

After the mass, there was a video presentation was shown, allowing friends and family to look back on some of the happiest moments they had with Cesar.

These include a time he sang "Hanggang" on karaoke, a surprise birthday video from his friends inside the newsroom, and that sweet moment when he sang "A Whole New World" with his daughter Sophia.

Cesar Apolinario passed away last Friday due to lymphoma, a disease he had been diagnosed with earlier this year.

He was 46.

The reporter, director, and loving father leaves behind decades of hard-hitting news stories and brilliant storytelling.

Cesar was also the wonderful host of iJuander with Susan Enriquez, and the show will be airing a special tribute to him later on Wednesday. — LA, GMA News