Wowie De Guzman mourns passing of fellow UMDer Norman Santos

Wowie De Guzman has taken to Facebook to mourn the passing of fellow UMD member Norman Santos.

Posting old photos of the dance group as well as of just the two of them, Wowie asked Norman for forgiveness and expressed how much he loved him.

"UTOL, mahal na mahal ka namin," Wowie began. "Hindi man naging maayos ang pagsasama ng grupo sa huli, at the end of the day magkakapatid tayo. Wala akong ibang hangad kundi kabutihan nating lahat. Pasensya ka na sa mga pagkukulang ko sayo Man..mahal na mahal ka namin," he said.

According to Wowie, he wouldn't have reached his current station in life if it weren't for Norman.

"We love you Norman Santos," he continued his message. "UMD for Life," he said as he mentions member Gerald Faisan, who died in 1997. "Kitakits tayo nila Gerald sa finals ng buhay ko."

Norman Santos died on Monday "after a prolonged fight against kidney failure, necessitating dialysis for over 12 years," his wife Chato said in a Facebook post. He was 62 years old.

She said a "tentative viewing will take place from February 12 to 16 St Peter Memorial Chapel in Tabacuhan, Olongapo City."

UMD, short for Universal Motion Dancers, rose to fame in the '90s for their original dance routines.

Apart from Wowie, Norman, and Gerald, UMD was comprised of Jim and James Salas, Miggy Eugenio Tanchanco, Brian Furlow, Marco McKinley, and Gerry Oliva.

On its official Facebook page, UMD mourned Norman, saying "Isang kapatid kasamahan namin sa grupo ang pumanaw na po, si tol Norman Santos."

"Mahal ka namin tol at ma-mi-miss ka namin 'tol. Sobrang nalulungkot kami sa pangyayari nabawasan na naman po kaming isang legendary na kapatid. Pakikiramay sa pamilya. Paalam sa 'yo tol Norman. UMD FOR LIFE," they said.

— LA, GMA Integrated News