Businessman Gabriel "Bong" Daza III would be smiling with pride from heaven in seeing his best friend Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. take his oath as the 17th President of the Philippines on June 30.
On his inaugural held at the National Museum in Manila last Thursday, Marcos reserved Seat No. 17 for Daza who passed away on July 14, 2016.
The photo was shared by actress-television host Isabelle Daza on Instagram. It was captioned "pop."
Isabelle is the daughter of Bong and former Miss Universe Gloria Diaz. Bong and Gloria got married in 1986, but they were divorced in 1995.
Both Gloria and Isabelle attended the inaugural of Mr. Marcos.
Marcos, then a senator, also became Isabelle's Ninong at her wedding six years ago.
When Isabelle and French national Adrien Semblat on Sept. 10, 2016, it was Marcos who stood as her second father during their wedding held in Tuscany, Italy. It was Marcos who walked Isabelle down the aisle on the day of her wedding.
In one of the eulogy videos for his best friend, Bongbong recalled that he and Bong would always bicker about everything. "Ang hilig din niya sa disco. After that naging malapit na kami. He would visit me in London, in Paris. Then natuto na siyang magshopping. Wala siyang binibiling ibang damit kundi Yves Saint Laurent. Pag-uwi nyan sa PIlipinas laging may baging sayaw."
"He was so charming and outgoing. He really wanted you to have a good time. Pero noong unang nakilala ko si Bong, inaasar ako. Per nakikita ko yung trato niya sa ibanh tao ganun din. At yung ang natutunan ko kay Bong. Lahat ng tao pantay-pantay ang tingin niya.," Marcos said. "Kahit sino. Kahit mayaman ka, kahit mahirap ka, pantay-pantay. Para kang best friend. That's the one thing I learned from Bong."
"Kung meron man akong natutunan kay Bong, 'yun ay ang kanyang pagkatao. It was hard for me because I was exposed to people in a strange context. The greatest quality he had as that he was so open and so sincere. When he wanted you to have a good time and wanted you to eat, he really did.
"Hindi kaplastikan yun. Hindi being polite. Gusto niya talagang masiyahan ka. At saka parang kiti-kiti yan. He cannot stand in one place. Pinaoagalitan pa niya ako. Sabi niya, andito ka sa Paris, wala kang ginagawa. Tara, punta tayo sa ganun. Alas singko ng umaga he would wake up para mamili ng isda sa palengke sa Paris," said Marcos.
"He's very attractive kaya marami siyang chicks before," recalled Marcos as the crowd laughed during the wake. "Hindi ko talaga natutunan how to pick up a girl. It never happened. Pero si Bong ang galing. Kahit sino nilalapitan niya. I don't know how he did it. Very sincere kasi siya hindi yung lapit na nakakatakot."
"One time in London may nakita kaming babae habang kumakain kami ng hamburger. Sabi nya yan yung girl na gusto natin lapitan pero paano natin kakausapin? So ang ginawa niya kimuha siya ng potato chips at nilagyan niya ng ketchup. Tawa kayo ng tawa but it worked," Marcos added.