Officials of Marilao town in Bulacan province pay their last respects to the late Mayor Ricardo Silvestre during the “Luksang Parangal” on Tuesday (Oct. 18) at the Marilao municipal hall. (Photo by Carmela Reyes-Estrope)
MARILAO, Bulacan—The late Mayor Ricardo Silvestre of this town was honored by fellow local officials on Tuesday (Oct. 18) before he was laid to rest at a private cemetery here on the same day.
Silvestre, who was killed in a car crash in Clark Freeport on Oct. 9, was conferred a posthumous award by the municipal officials.
Vice Mayor Henry Lutao, who also serves as acting mayor, led the tribute to Silvestre, who was described by people close to him as a “sincere leader.”
Lutao assured Silvestre’s family that the late mayor’s “legacy of love and utmost quality of service” to the town and its residents would live on as they would continue all the programs that Silvestre had initiated, particularly the pro-poor projects.
Silvestre’s eldest child, Jackie-Lou Guillermo, 41, thanked all the people of the town and all the officials who grieved with them.
“We thank each and every one of you. We did not keep our father away from you because serving you and spending his time with all of you as the leader of our town is his happiness and we cannot take that away from him. Thank you very much for bearing with us on this fateful and saddest day of our lives,” she said during the tribute.
The mayor is also survived by his wife, Luisa, and their three other children—Marissa del Rosario, 43; Ricardo Silvestre Jr., 42; and Maria Richella San Jose, 31.
Gov. Daniel Fernando called on the people of Marilao to draw inspiration from Silvestre, especially in continuing the agriculture programs in the town.
In recent years, Marilao became a consistent awardee and model in agriculture programs “because of the initiatives and works of the late mayor,” the governor said,
The late mayor was laid to rest at Sanctuario De Loma Marilao Memorial Park in Barangay Loma De Gato here. INQ
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