Photo from Dingdong Dantes' Facebook page
Actor Dingdong Dantes on Thursday paid tribute to the late Quirino Governor Dakila "Dax" Cua, remembering him as a great leader and a good person.
In a Facebook post, Dantes recalled first meeting Cua in the early 2000s at a friend's party, where they sat beside each other and quickly connected as they talked about "our dreams and aspirations for the youth and for the country."
"Kahit noon pa lang, nakita ko na kung paano siya mag-isip at magtrabaho. And through the years, lalo ko lang nakita kung gaano kaseryoso ang hangarin niyang maglingkod," Dantes said.
"I truly believed that one day, he would become one of the finest, most capable, and most decent leaders of our country," he said.
Dantes said Cua "was one of those people who gave me reason to remain hopeful" at a time when it was difficult to have faith in public officials.
He also described Cua beyond his public servant persona.
"Napakabait niyang kaibigan. Napakatotoong tao. Someone you could count on. Siya rin ang ninong ng aking panganay. Sa lahat ng accomplishments niya in public service, I think those of us who knew him personally will remember just as much the kind of person he was when there were no crowds, cameras, titles, or positions involved," he said.
Bidding farewell to his friend, Dantes wrote: "Paalam, Dax. I was always looking forward to seeing how far you would go. I just never imagined we would have to say goodbye this soon."
"Isang matino at magaling na lider. Maasahang kaibigan. At higit sa lahat, mabuting tao," the actor said.
On Tuesday, Cua's father, former governor and congressman Junie Cua, announced his death but did not disclose the cause.