Samar gov passes away, 61
Comments made on social media posts about her death provides a tableau of how she is perceived both as a politician and as a leader of one of the poorest provinces in the country
Samar Governor Milagrosa Tan succumbed to cardiac arrest and died Saturday night in a private hospital in Taguig City.
Vice Governor Michael Tan, her son, made the announcement in his Facebook page.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Governor Milagrosa Tee Tan at 7:50 p.m. today, 30 November 2019 after suffering from cardiac arrest at St. Luke’s-BGC.” The Governor was with her four children — Angel, Ann, Jimboy and Michael — when she passed away. She was 61 years old.
Her remains lies at Cosmopolitan Memorial Chapels and Crematorium for public viewing until Tuesday and will be flown to Samar once weather conditions improve.
Comments made on social media posts about her death provides a tableau of how she is perceived both as a politician and as a leader of one of the poorest provinces in the country.
Lawyer Ramil Macalalad says the untimely demise of Tan sent a “shockwave” to Samar politics that has for many years been in deep political divide.
“(She) is a hero to countless of Samareños whose lives were alleviated from poverty due to her personal conviction to send thousands of children to different schools who in return become professionals and helped their respective families,” he said in a Facebook post.
“As a supporter, friend and lawyer who’s with her in countless battles, during her ups and downs, I was amazed of her strength to fight the violent political system without sacrificing her religious belief,” he added.
Tan’s political career started in 1998 when she ran for a seat in the provincial board as a replacement to her brother-in-law Ruben Tan, who was in turn a substitute for her late husband, Ricardo.
But the biggest leap in her political carrer happened in 2001 when she ran and got elected as the first female governor of Samar after she defeated Jose Roño, a former political stalwart during the Marcos administration. She served as governor of Samar for three terms from 2001 to 2010.