Luwalhati Antonino —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
ILIGAN CITY—Mindanao is mourning the death of former Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chair Luwalhati Antonino on Monday. She was 81.
Fondly called Lu by friends and colleagues, Antonino was the agency’s first woman chairperson, “steering it towards unrelenting service for Mindanao” from 2010 to 2016.
“She was one of Mindanao’s strongest allies and loudest voices in the national government,” read a statement from MinDA, which was created in 2010 to promote, coordinate and facilitate the active and extensive participation of all sectors for the socioeconomic development of the country’s southern region.
“Rest in peace Sec. Lu. Thank you for your service and unwavering commitment to the development of Mindanao,” Secretary Maria Belen Acosta, current MinDA chief, said in a social media post.
A family announcement said a requiem Mass was scheduled on Thursday following her wake at Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City.
MinDA recalled how Antonino rallied key government officials and business leaders in Mindanao to solve the island’s power crisis in 2012, leading to the creation of the Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee.
“She was also the woman behind the Mindanao Nurturing Our Waters (or MindaNOW!) Program in response to the dwindling forest cover and frequent typhoons and flooding in Mindanao,” it said.
“Through the Treevolution that she spearheaded along with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Mindanao gained the Guinness World Record for Most Trees Planted within an hour,” it added.
As MinDA chair, Antonino is remembered for “personally lobbying for a fair and equitable budget share for Mindanao and MinDA’s programs and projects.”
“To have worked alongside her was to witness a masterclass in leadership imbued with compassion and humanity. Her words were not just directives; they were lessons in living and serving with dignity and integrity,” said MinDA deputy executive director Romeo Montenegro.
Prior to serving MinDA, Antonino represented South Cotabato in Congress for three terms, from 1992 to 2001. She is the wife of former General Santos City Mayor Adelbert Antonino and mother of former South Cotabato Rep. DarlenTe Antonino-Custodio.
Although the Antoninos no longer sought elective office starting 2013, they continue to be active in politics through the local party, Achievers with Integrity Movement (AIM), which endorsed the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo in 2022.
Dedicated public servant
“The City of General Santos mourns the death of one of its pillars, who had contributed a lot in all aspects of its development. Eternal repose unto your soul, Ma’am Lu. We will forever cherish you,” said a statement from city councilor Virgie Tiongson Llido, a stalwart of the AIM.
“Ma’am Lu served General Santos, South Cotabato, and the entire Mindanao region as an unwavering pillar of strength, and her legacy will forever be etched in our hearts. Her leadership and the profound warmth of her friendship, akin to that of a mother, will always be cherished, leaving an indelible mark on our lives,” said businessman Elmer Catulpos, another AIM stalwart.
“Deeply saddened by the loss of a dedicated public servant. May her legacy of service and commitment be remembered always,” said General Santos City Rep. Loreto Acharon, a longtime ally of the Antoninos.
Born in Upi town, now part of Maguindanao del Norte province, Antonino earned a chemical engineering degree from the University of Santo Tomas, and a graduate degree in business administration from the New York University. She later worked for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.