MANILA - Former press secretary and multi-awarded journalist Rodolfo "Rod" Reyes died of complications due to heart failure on Thursday, his daughter said.

He was 80.

According to Reyes' daughter Theresa Alvarez, the former press secretary died at 6:54 p.m. at the Asian Hospital in Muntinlupa City.

Reyes served as press secretary under the Ramos and Estrada administrations. Under his time in the Ramos administration, he strengthened the presidential coverage and set up the Presidential News Desk.

Prior to his stint in government, Reyes was a Manila Chronicle editor, GMA Network general manager and executive vice president and ABS-CBN's senior vice president.

In 1961, Reyes, who was then a Manila Times reporter, went undercover to expose a drug den in Malabon.

Reyes was an awardee of the Journalist of the Year Award, the Ten Outstanding Young Men, Presidential Award Medal from President Carlos P. Garcia and a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University.

His remains will be at the Manila Memorial Park starting Friday morning. Interment will be on Monday morning.