GMA mulls hero’s burial for Punongbayan

NAGA, Cebu – President Arroyo assured the family of the late former Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) director Raymundo Punongbayan that he will be accorded the "highest honors" for his contributions to the country.

Though she could not yet say whether Punongbayan would be given a hero’s burial, Mrs. Arroyo said yesterday she would order her officials to determine the appropriate tribute for him.

"Certainly, we have to give him some honor because truly, he lived to serve the people and he died serving the people," she said.

"I will be discussing with the officials in Malacañang who take care of the various honors that they are authorized to give out, what kind of honor we can give him... We would like to give what is the highest that we can give within what is the tradition for a man of his contributions," the President added.

Punongbayan, who became governor of the Philippine National Red Cross after he retired from Phivolcs in 2003, perished in a helicopter crash along with eight others last Thursday.

They were on a mission to scout for places where the Red Cross could resettle villagers from Aurora, Quezon who were displaced by the deadly landslides triggered by two typhoons that hit Luzon in November last year.

Punongbayan devoted his life trying to protect Filipinos by warning them of impending volcanic eruptions, sometimes catching the ire of residents in affected areas for being the bearer of bad news.

He became famous for his prediction of the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. His fearless pronouncements saved the lives of many residents living in areas surrounding the volcano, particularly in Zambales and Pampanga.

Mrs. Arroyo was in Cebu to inspect the facilities of mining and energy firms bankrolled by foreign investors.