By MB Online and Terence Repelente Award-winning Filipino poet Rogelio Mangahas passed away at the age of 79 early Wednesday morning.   Mangahas suffered a massive stroke on Monday morning, and was taken to the UST Hospital, where he fell into coma for over two days before dying early today, at 6:14 a.m. The devastating news was confirmed by the late poet’s wife, Professor Fe Buenaventura-Mangahas. “Roger left us to join our Lord in eternal bliss at 6:14 am,” she wrote. Fellow writers have been asking for prayers for the poet’s eternal repose as well to comfort for his widowed wife. The entire country, especially the Philippine literary community, mourns the death of another great Filipino poet. His wake will be at St. Peter’s Chapel along Quezon Avenue, where a special ceremony in honor of him will be held at 6 p.m. Mangahas graduated from the University of the East with a degree in AB Filipino. He later became the editor-in-chief of Phoenix Publishing House and SIBS Publishing House. His outstanding works include “Mga Duguang Plakard” which is a collection of poems. He also wrote a critical essay for Edgardo Reyes’ “Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag.” Other than receiving the 1986 Palanca Awards, Mangahas was also awarded “Poet of the Year” by SWP and Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas from the Writers Union of the Philippines.