FORMER Benguet board member Jack Dulnuan died Wednesday morning, 17 days after being hospitalized for pneumonia.
Dulnuan, who turned 81 last April 4, was pronounced dead around 5:55 a.m. at the Notre Dame De Chartres Hospital in Baguio City.
Popularly known as the owner of the famous Jack's Restaurant, the former Benguet board member who served from 2013-2016, was confined since June 20 and since then, his health continued to degrade until his death.
The businessman turned politician was an advocate of agriculture, entrepreneur and environment.
Dulnuan was born and raised in Asipulo, Ifugao before his family moved to Benguet later in the 1950's. Coming from a considerably poor family, he only managed to finish his high school studies, but later on recognized to be one of the agriculture geniuses in the province after graduating at the Benguet State University.
Among his noted accomplishment during his time as a board member includes the passing of a law in the province protecting what is left of the environment and punish those who engage in illegal activities.
After serving his term in the provincial board, Dulnuan ran for the gubernatorial seat during the 2016 Synchronized Election but loss.
Like any other life success, Dulnuan himself had a simple story. He started his business using his P1,000 savings, which he earned from working as a houseboy and delivery boy in Baguio. Soon he built his own farms which supplies the vegetables and meat for his restaurants, a repair shop, and a technical vocational school.
Dulnuan became famous with his signature dish, Jack's Rice, a combination of fried chicken, pork lechon, chopsuey, a cup of rice topped by a sunny side up egg served at Jack’s Restaurant which started as a sari-sari store in La Trinidad, which expanded into a bakery, and then into what it is today.
This meal catapulted Dulnuan’s name in the Cordillera Region’s restaurant industry.
Legend has it, the meal was coined when Apo Jack, in his younger days asked to served a fast hefty meal from the kitchen using ingredients available, costumers from the adjoining table saw the feast, they requested to be served the same thing.
Dulnuan is survived by his 10 sons and daughters and his remains lie in state at his residence in Betag, La Trinidad, close to his tech-voc school Trinidad Valley Institute of Technology.
His body will soon be brought to the provincial capitol for a tribute.