Lichauco, 75, died of cardio-pulmonary arrest at the St. Luke's Medical Centre in Taguig without recovering from a coma caused by a stroke on Jan. 31.

She was confined at St. Teresa's Hospital in Kowloon for 12 days before being airlifted to Manila on a chartered plane.

Her remains were cremated and buried in a crypt inside the Sanctuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park, Makati, on Feb. 18.

She was survived by her children Christopher, Eduardo Martin, Alexander and Michelle. Her husband, Eduardo Severino Lichauco, died in 1989.

Lichauco, who holds a law degree from the University of the Philippines and a master's from Yale University in the United States, belonged to the illustrious Trinidad clan in Manila which counts among its members the first and only Filipino judge in Hong Kong, Anselmo T. Reyes.

She served as secretary of the transportation department from 1979-2000, and was a former chairman of the National Telecommunications Commission (1989-1991). She also wrote a column for the broadsheet Philippine Star.

In Manila, her death was mourned not only by friends and relatives, but also those who admired her uncompromising stance against the powers-that-be.

Among the many causes she espoused was an investigation into the controversial ZTE broadband deal which linked both President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her husband, Miguel Arroyo, to a massive corruption bid.

Among those that expressed regret over her death was the left-leaning Bagong Alyansang Makabayan or Bayan, which said: "She is a dear friend and close ally of Bayan and will be sorely missed."

Bayan described Lichauco as an "uncompromising and persistent fighter for truth, good governance, human rights and social justice." -- DCLM