Eruf director dies

CEBU, Philippines - “He was so passionate when it comes to Eruf.”

This was how Mayor Jonas Cortes described his brother, Herminio Cortes, who was considered as the forerunner of the rescue operations here in the Metro Cebu.

Herminio died after spending almost a month at the Chong Hua Hospital due to cardio-respiratory arrest. He was 66.

Herminio was operations and training director of the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (ERUF). He was the eldest of 14 siblings.

Before Herminio died, he had been suffering from diabetes, had a mild heart attack and had undergone a kidney transplant.

Mayor Cortes said that even if Herminio was already suffering from these illnesses, his brother continued to serve Eruf.

According to the mayor, ERUF was formed after the Mandaue Emergency Rescue Unit (MERU) that was founded by his father, the late mayor Demetrio Cortes Sr., in 1977. But this was disbanded in 1986 due to the change in administration.

But since most of its members felt that there was really a need to continue what they started, Eruf was then formed to respond to the rescue and emergency needs but this time it did not only cater to Mandaue city but the whole of metro Cebu.

Displaced paramedics of MERU then joined the foundation.

Mayor Cortes said that Herminio, being Eruf’s operations and training director, was able to nurture it until his death because many benefited from it.

“He was indeed a true servant leader,” said the mayor.

Herminio used to work at the Union Carbide Philippines and upon retiring, continued to focus on ERUF and his business.

His two children are barangay councilors in barangays Centro and Alang-alang in Mandaue. His youngest son, Jericho, is also with Eruf.  (FREEMAN)