MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Entertainment Portal on Sunday reported that it received a confirmed report that young actor Marky Cielo died at dawn Sunday. He was 20 years old.

The report said the cause of death is not yet clear. An initial report says that Marky died in his sleep. His mother went up to his room in their house in Antipolo City around 6 a.m. to wake him up for a charity event. But he never woke up.

GMA 7 issued the following statement past 4 p.m. Sunday on the death of Cielo.

"Bandang alas 10 kaninang umaga sa Antipolo Doctors Hospital ay idineklarang dead on arrival ang young actor at Starstruck Nationwide Invasion Sole Survivor na si Marky Cielo.

"Ayon sa paunang salaysay ng kanyang ina na si Mildred Cielo, natagpuan niyang nakahandusay ang kanyang anak sa kanilang tahanan sa Antipolo, Rizal, at agad niya itong isinugod sa ospital. Sa ngayon ay hinintay pa nila ang resulta ng imbestigasyon sa sanhi ng pagpanaw ni Marky Cielo bago magbigay ng opisyal na pahayag ang kanyang pamilya.

Tubong Mountain Province at may lahing Igorot si Marky Cielo, at itinanghal na Sole Survivor sa Season 3 ng Starstruck. Hinangaan siya sa kanyang husay sa kanyang pag-arte at pagsayaw.

Huli siyang napanood sa Startok, SOP, at La Lola. Siya rin ang tumatayong Youth Spokesperson ng Department of Health.

Si Marky Cielo ay 20 years old. Bukod sa mga panalangin, humihiling ang pamilya Cielo ng privacy sa matinding dagok na to sa kanilang buhay."

Marky was a product of GMA-7's StarStruck Batch 3, where he won as the "Ultimate Sole Survivor." He was the first Igorot from Baguio City to join the popular reality-based artista search. Among his batchmates were Iwa Moto, Jackie Rice, and Gian Carlo.

After winning in StarStruck, he appeared in several GMA-7 shows which included Encantadia, Fantastikids, Bakekang, Asian Treasures, Boys Next Door, Kaputol ng Isang Awit, and Codename: Asero. But he was best known as Zaido Green in Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan.

He was also a mainstay of the musical-variety show SOP and in the primetime series La Lola.

Marky, who is also known for his dancing prowess, grew up in Butuan City but his family moved to the north.

His remains now lies at St. Peter's Chapel in Quezon City. - GMANews.TV