BACOLOD CITY ,Philippines — Former Negros Occidental Vice Governor Romeo “Roy” Gamboa Jr. passed away at the Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital (Riverside Medical Center) in this city at 10:20 p.m. Saturday, five months after he was diagnosed with lung cancer.
He was 69.
His son Ryan, anchor of ABS-CBN Bacolod’s TV Patrol Negros, said Gamboa first experienced stomach discomfort in May and was hospitalized. The doctors then discovered that he was suffering from lung cancer, he said.
Ryan said his father underwent chemotherapy for the cancer in his lungs that appeared to be cured but the cancer spread to his liver.
Gamboa’s wife, Ruska, remained by his side, caring for him in his five-month battle with cancer. She refused to get a caregiver, wanting to care for him herself, Ryan added.
Gamboa had cirrhosis of the liver but died of complications of pneumonia, his daughter-in-law Carmela Arcolas-Gamboa said.
Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., who left for Australia yesterday, had asked acting Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr. to issue an executive order for the Philippine flags in the province to fly at half-mast for Gamboa, until his burial.
Gamboa had served as barangay captain of Barangay 5 in Silay City in 1986 and was appointed vice governor of Negros del Norte in 1986 by then President Corazon Aquino. However, Aquino later dissolved Negros del Norte that had been created towards the end of the Marcos administration, after finding that it failed to meet the requirements of a province.
Soon after former Negros Occidental Governor Daniel “Bitay” Lacson Jr. invited Gamboa to run as board member under his team.
Gamboa served as board member of Negros Occidental from 1987 to 1992, and was vice governor to then Governor Rafael Coscolluela from 1992 to 2001.
“Roy has passed away much too early, but he leaves behind a legacy of dedicated and selfless service to the people of Negros Occidental, especially the farmers and fisherfolk with whom he worked for so tirelessly,” Coscolluela said.
Gamboa was the program manager-action officer, handling the huge challenge of getting the Panaad Sports Complex properly built and ready for its maiden Palaro, and oversaw the Bantay Dagat, artificial reef propagation and provincial road maintenance programs, Coscolluela added.
Lacson, now Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) chairman, said, “I am one of those who feel blessed having worked with Roy during one of the most difficult periods in our province’s history. Roy was a serious worker but fun to be with. He was a great team player.”
Ryan said his father will lie in state at the Rolling Hills Memorial Chapel in Barangay Mandalagan in Bacolod, until today (Tuesday) after which his remains will be transferred to his family home at Hacienda Fortuna Silay City, according to his father’s wishes. -