photo by Jaydee Chan

A tribute to the late Ambassador and Leyte Governor Benjamin Kokoy Romualdez was held yesterday afternoon at the Sto. Nino Church.

phot by Ferdinand Martin Romuladez's FB account

It was a very solemn ceremony with representatives of RTRMF and DVOREF giving eulogies peppered with elegies.
I particularly admired Atty. Eduardo Polistico's speech. He highlighted the contributions of the Romualdez's to the growth and development of the province, turning it to the then bucolic to town to the bustling center it is today. Little did I know that the Visayas State University and the University of the Philippines in the Visayas Tacloban College, both echelons of education in the region were both fruits of their labor; including the Remedios T. Romualdez Medical Foundation and the Don Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation.
Traveling from Leyte to Samar or vice versa was no simple feat twenty years ago. You need to take a banca ride through the dangerous waters. It was even considered as the narrowest strait in the world- the San Juanico's Strait. All thanks to the Romualdez's and the taxpayers money, we now have the San Juanico Bridge. One of the longest in Asia and a prominent tourist spot with a scenic view of the waters and the islands of Samar and Leyte.

In a melancholic and pensive state, the mourners lined up to offer white roses in the altar.

Why white roses in particular? White roses symbolizes purity, innocence and secrecy.
All flags in the province are flown half mast as a sign of mourning.

photo by wack tobacky