In Northern Samar
TACLOBAN CITY- The mayor of Palapag town in Northern Samar, Manuel Aoyang, was confirmed to have died due complications of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on early morning Friday (Oct.6).
This was confirmed by the town’s health officer Dr.Delia Chy who said that the 68-year old mayor died while confined in one of the private hospitals here in Tacloban City at around 1:30 am.
Aoyang, who was serving his third and last term as mayor of Palapag (with more than 38,000 people spread on its 33 barangays), has been on a dialysis for two years now.
“(The entire) town is in mourning. The flag (at the municipal building) is now at half-mast to show our respect to our mayor,” Chy said in a phone interview.
As a rule of succession, Vice Mayor Marlon Agno will assumed the post of mayor of the town.
Chy said that Mayor Aoyang was brought to the hospital last October 27 and as part of the protocol, was swabbed the following day, Oct.28.
The positive result of the swab test came out on Oct.29.
Also tested was his son, who turned positive, and his wife, whose result turned negative. Both served as guardians of the mayor while he was confined at the hospital.
Chy said that as part on the protocol on the managing of a dead person due to COVID-19, the mayor would be buried today (Oct.6) at the town’s catholic cemetery.
At present, the town has 35 cases.
Aoyang is the first incumbent official in Eastern Visayas to have died due to COVID-19.
Meantime, the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Thursday night of 100 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the region’s total cases to 7,147.
The new cases were from Leyte,37; Samar,33; Northern Samar,25; and Eastern Samar, 5.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
