Teary-eyed Villanueva thanks colleagues as Senate mourns passing of sister Mayor Joni

MANILA, Philippines – “Devastated is such an understatement.”

These were the words of a teary-eyed Senator Joel Villanueva as the Senate mourned the passing of his sister, Bocaue Mayor Joni Villanueva-Tugna.

During the chamber’s plenary session on Monday, senators adopted Senate Resolution No. 433 which expresses their profound sympathy and sincere condolences to the family of the late mayor, who succumbed to sepsis secondary to bacterial pneumonia last May 28, 2020 at the age of 42.

“I’m actually a few meters away from the remains of Mayor Joni here in Bocaue, Bulacan and to be honest my heart has been shattered into (a) million pieces. It’s really worse than worst,” Senator Villanueva said.

He also expressed gratitude to his colleagues who extended their condolences to him and his family.

The resolution noted that the late mayor “worked tirelessly to bring affordable and quality health care to the people of Bocaue by pushing for the construction of its first-ever public hospital.”

She was “one of the first leaders to launch a mass testing program for front liners and Persons Under Investigations (PUI) in Bocaue in the fight against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).”

“She was admired for her hands-on approach to managing the day-to-day operations of the municipal government during the pandemic, despite having been diagnosed with vasculitis in January this year, taking on tasks such as the repacking and distribution of relief goods,” the resolution read.