Friday, August 01, 2008 Board Member dies of cancer By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
INCUMBENT Provincial Board Member Janet Torres of the 4th District of Negros Occidental died of breast cancer at the Riverside Medical Center in Bacolod City at around 11:30 Saturday night.
She was 75.
Torres is the second Provincial Government official who died this year following Governor Joseph Marañon who also died of cancer last March.
"Board Member Torres was truly a great loss for Negros Occidental. She's an epitome of a good public servant, who truly dedicated her life to serving both the Bagoeños and the Negrenses in general," said Governor Isidro Zayco, who assumed office after Marañon's death.
Torres was mayor of Bago City from 1998 to 2007.
Her late husband, Manuel 'Totay' Torres, also served as Bago City mayor for sometime.
Torres' public records were really beyond question, stressed the governor who was saddened by the untimely demise of the board member.
"I know that like her husband, Board Member Torres had also spent her life serving the people of Bago for nine years prior to her stint as board member of the province," Zayco said.
Unfortunately, he said, "The good board member was not able to fully serve the Negrenses because of her illness. But I know that if given a chance, she would have had dedicated herself to serving the Negrenses."
Mayor Monet Torres of Bago City, nephew of the board member, said: "We, the Bagoeños, are now mourning on the demise of our very good leader."
He said his aunt, was a real "mother" of their city.
"She's truly a leader through-and-through who served Bago City for nine years without any reservation," the incumbent mayor stressed.
"She'd always been supportive of Dawn (Development of Active Women Network) programs for women. We will miss her," lamented Bacolod Councilor Celia Flor in a text message to Sun.Star Bacolod last night. "We at Dawn, also extend our deep sympathies to her family and her district's constituents."
Vice Gov. Emilio Yulo III said, "We're shocked to know that Board Member Janet Torres had already passed away."
"We at the SP (Sangguniang Panlalawigan) would like to extend our condolences to her family members and the entire people of Bago City and the 4th District of Negros Occidental," he added.
Congressman Jeffrey Ferrer of the 4th district also expressed his sadness over the death of his 'Tita Janet'.
For him, Board Member Torres was one of the "best" leaders he ever known in Negros. "That's why the entire 4th district is now in the state of sadness as the people (Torres' constituents) bereave her untimely death," the solon said. "But since God has taken Tita Janet, we have no choice but to pray for the immediate repose of her soul and her total peacefulness in heaven."
