N. Ecija’s oldest mayor quits post over failing health

NAMPICUAN, Nueva Ecija, Philippines – This town’s 81-year-old mayor, the oldest among the 27 local chief executives in the province, has resigned from his post, citing failing health.

Dr. Abraham Pascua, assistant regional director for Central Luzon and concurrent provincial director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, said Mayor Ubaldino Lacurom has tendered his resignation to his ally and political benefactor, Gov. Aurelio Umali.

Lacurom, a member of Umali’s Unang Sigaw Partido ng Pagbabago, submitted his resignation letter dated June 6 and this was received by the DILG provincial office on June 9.

Lacurom won his third and last term in last year’s elections. His daughter, Cora Lacurom-Villanueva, won as vice mayor. They were the only father-and-son tandem to win in the Nueva Ecija polls.

In his resignation letter, Lacurom, a retired regional trial court judge, said he suffered a mild stroke in August 2008, and underwent angioplasty in 2011 and was installed with a pacemaker.       

Because of his health condition, he said he “critically needs to slow down.” He added though that he is primarily quitting his post since he wants to enjoy his pension as a retired judge “for a few more years that I live in this world.”