Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar offered his condolences to the family of veteran journalist Twink Macaraig who passed away on Tuesday after a long battle with cancer.

“We mourn the passing of one of the Philippines’ veteran journalists and columnists, Twink Macaraig,” Andanar said in a statement.

“We are with the entire media community, her friends, and her family as they grieve the loss of this remarkable person,” he added.

News5 confirmed in a Facebook post the death of Macaraig, who first battled cancer in the early 2000s.

Macaraig served as a news anchor for television networks TV5 and ABS-CBN.

She was also known for her columns published in The Philippine Star and Esquire Philippines.

She was also the Filipino bureau chief of Channel News Asia.

Macaraig also became a part-time faculty lecturer at the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communications.

Andanar hailed Macaraig for facing adversities “with smiles and laughter” and for continuing her duty and passion for journalism, despite her years-long battle with cancer.

He said Macaraig’s “freethinking” would always be remembered by the entire nation.

“Let’s remember Ms. Macaraig’s freethinking and devotion towards addressing and raising awareness of societal problems and issues in order to get people to cast aside their apathy,” Andanar said.

“Her love for novels and publications was something that manifested through her foundation of the oldest living book club in the Philippines,” he added. (PNA)