Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon dies at 73

Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon, 73

DAVAO CITY — Davao Oriental Gov. Corazon Malanyaon died at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28. She was 73.

Vice Gov. Niño Sotero Uy, who made the announcement on the provincial government’s Facebook page, said the governor’s daughter had informed them at past 6 p.m. of the governor’s death.

He urged the people of Davao Oriental to remember the governor for her goodness and to follow her good examples as the province joins the family in mourning.

Malanyaon, who started her political career when she was appointed to sit in the Davao city council by the new government after the Edsa people power, capped 36 years of public service.

She first served as Davao Oriental governor for three terms in 2007 to 2016. She then ran for a seat at the House of Representatives for Davao Oriental’s first district and won.

She served as first district representative of the province for two consecutive terms from 2016 to 2022, after which she made a comeback as governor and won in the 2022 elections.

Mati Mayor Michelle Rabat expressed sadness over the governor’s passing.

“At a time when we are supposed to  celebrate the 56th anniversary of the province, [this] makes the pain so unbearable,” the mayor said in a statement.

“Governor Cora came at a time when the province badly needed a unifying leader,” Rabat said, describing the governor as “motherly, caring, and above all, loving.”

“In behalf of my family and the rest of Mati people, I would like to express our gratitude to (Davao Oriental governor Malanyaon),” Rabat said.

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