Former village chief Labajo passes away

CEBU, Philippines - Less than a week after a barangay captain in Talisay City died, another barangay official of the same city last Thursday night also passed away.

Councilman Teodolfo "Dolly" Labajo, 76, died in his house in barangay Poblacion of a heart failure.

Poblacion barangay captain Teodoro Belleza, who was Labajo's successor, said the former barangay chief had been ill the past months, and that it was last December since he last attended the barangay council's session.

From time to time, the ailing Labajo was taken to hospital, but it was last Thursday, in his own humble home, where he finally succumbed to his illness.

Labajo, who emerged number four barangay councilman in the last synchronized barangay elections, was the longest serving barangay chief of Poblacion, being its chief for five straight terms.

He was barangay captain since 1982, and a kagawad years before that, around the time when barangay officials were not getting honorarium for their services.

It was in October 2007, after serving his full five terms in the barangay that he was replaced by Belleza.

Meanwhile, since Labajo's death left a vacancy in the council, Belleza said on their next regular session this Friday they would decide who would replace the former councilman who is fondly called "Tatay Dolly" not only by his family but by the whole of Poblacion.

Labajo's replacement will become the second new member of the council in less than one month.

About three weeks ago, Rowena Alesna, wife of Councilor Edward Alesna, was sworn into office to replace Choy Aznar who rose from being the barangay's first councilman to city councilor.

Meanwhile, barangay Lawaan 1, four days after the death of its chief, Jerson Laceda, has yet to decide who will fill in the vacated seat. New barangay chief Joy Tumulak, the first councilman who succeeded Laceda, said they would tackle that matter after their late chief is buried on August 1.

Laceda died last July 20, two days before he would turn 52, because of toxic goiter.

The barangay official was also suffering from enlargement of the heart and diabetes.