FORMER ambassador and Fifth District representative Jose Apolinario "Jun" Lozada passed away Tuesday, July 31, at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City due to multiple organ failure.
He was 67.
Lozada has once served as the ambassador of the Philippines to Iraq, Austria, and Palau.
He also served as foreign affairs adviser and appointment secretary of former President Fidel Ramos.
He also ran for senator under the political party of then President Joseph Estrada but did not make it.
Former La Castellana mayor Enrico Elumba has expressed his deep sympathy to the family of Lozada, who served as a congressman from 1998 to 2004.
Elumba recalled he had a good working relationship with the former solon, who he considered has best represented the district in the House of Representatives.
"He was an intelligent person, an honest leader who did his best to represent our district. It was that time that we have experienced having a competent congressman leading our district. We had so many projects together especially farm-to-market-roads and we were one in ensuring the implementation of an honest to goodness projects during our term," said Elumba, who was mayor from 1998 to 2004.
In 2004, Lozada lost to the late representative Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo, who was the brother-in-law of former president and now House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Lozada was dearly loved by his constituents in the district, Elumba said.