Kokoy Romualdez’s remains arrive in Tacloban

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines—Virginia Roa, 65, was outside the airport as early as 6 a.m. Saturday, waiting for “my governor” to arrive.

But this homemaker from Tacloban was filled with mixed emotions when she saw the hearse bearing the remains of former Governor Benjamin “Kokoy” Romualdez coming out from the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport shortly before noon.

While she was sad over his passing, Roa said, she was happy to see him for one last time.

“He (Romualdez) was a good leader because he was responsible for several projects that  benefited not only Leyte but even the entire region,” she told the Inquirer.

Thousands of people from all walks of life paid their last respects to Romualdez,  who was governor of Leyte for 19 years from 1967 to 1986, the longest-serving provincial chief executive in Eastern Visayas.

Businessman Philip Romualdez, his wife Alexandra “Sandy” Prieto-Romualdez and sister Marian accompanied the remains of the former governor on a private plane from Manila.

They arrived at the airport, named after the former House Speaker Daniel Z. Romualdez, the former first lady’s uncle, at 11:38 a.m. Among those who received the remains were Romualdez’ elder sister, former first lady and Ilocos Representative Imelda Marcos, younger brother Alfredo “Bejo” Romualdez and the latter’s son, Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez.

The deceased Romualdez’ wife, Juliette, and children Daniel Romualdez and Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez arrived in Tacloban about an hour earlier.

A glass coffin bearing the former governor’s remains was mounted on a flatbed truck, which was adorned with flowers.

Hundreds of cars, jeepneys and buses followed the hearse in a convoy to the Provincial Capitol, about seven kilometers from the airport. The family members were visibly touched by the thousands of people who lined the streets and waved at the hearse as confetti rained down from a helicopter.

Some of the people in the throngs were students from the family-owned Doña Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Medical Foundation.

Senior Superintendent Wilson Caubat, Tacloban city police director, said more than 10,000 people waited along the route to the Capitol to see the hearse.

“We are really deeply touched by the display of love and affection from the Taclobanons and the Leyteños to Papa,” said Martin, who represents Leyte’s first district in Congress.

The hearse arrived at the provincial Capitol past 2 p.m. where  Monsignor Ramon Aguilos celebrated Mass attended by almost 1,000 people.

After an hour, the coffin was moved to the Santo Niño Church,  about a kilometer away, for a requiem Mass and vigil. The remains were tentatively scheduled to be brought back to Manila on Sunday afternoon. Interment is set on Tuesday.

Speaking before the crowd at the Capitol, Philip said that his father served the province well by initiating projects that benefitted the people of Leyte.

“And the family is thankful for your joining us during this time of our bereavement,” he said.

Philip, however, declined to be interviewed.

His wife, Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez, who is president and chief executive officer of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, described her father-in-law as “so loving and very understanding.”

“Everything, I love everything about him,” she said, adding that he was so fond of his grandchildren.

She also gave him credit for his “immense love” for Leyte and its people.

Romualdez, 81, died of a lingering illness at the Makati Medical Center in Manila last February 21.

Among his and Imelda Marcos’ many projects were the San Juanico Bridge, which connects Leyte and Samar islands, Tongonan geothermal power plant, and the Leyte Industrial Development Estate.

Romualdez was also instrumental in the establishment of the University of the Philippines in Tacloban and the then Visayas College of Agriculture, now the Visayas State University, in Baybay City.