HIS roots were from the neighboring province of Bulacan but his heart will always stay in Angeles City. Dr. Ricardo Zalamea, the people's doctor has finally met his creator at the age of 72. The former 4-term vice mayor and 2-term councilor of Angeles is known to have lived a colorful life. He was one of a few public servants who would mingle with everybody and who was easy to get along with.
Doc Ric was a family friend. He started to be a well-known physician when he joined my father (Doc JoPel) in my dad's clinic along Rizal Street in Angeles City. He was one of Doc JoPel's reliever together with Dr. Pending Fernandez.
He usually spent graveyard shifts during his practice in the clinic with no complaints but rather empathy for the ailing mostly got the best of him. Being mentored by my senior father, perhaps this contributed to the aspiration why he tried to enter politics. But before he ran for any position, he made sure he would fulfill his sworn Hippocratic Oath to the best of his ability as a physician. He would try to heal the sick, and without any discrimination, he would also treat those who are in need of medical attention ñ even those who got injured during the dark era of the struggle. He would go out and reach the borders of the city as far as Sapang Bato in order to clean the wounds and cure the injured men and women.
When he became a politician, his name had been carried on by the people at large for his humility and compassion. Although he was always good in entertaining guests and making people laugh, I found out he was kind of camera-shy especially in on-cam interviews. When I was a TV reporter, I would immediately approach him knowing he had the confidence to face an audience but whenever the recording light of the camera turned on, his face would start to transform into serious mode. And after the interview, he'd ask me, "was I good?"
Doc Ric was also known for being a regular at the funerals in the city. He was most of the time spotted at Funenaria Pangilinan and other parlors extending his heartfelt condolences to the grieving. It kind of reminds me of what Councilor Dan Lacson has been doing. It's never easy to approach the family of a departed, and many politicians would not bother show up on wakes or burials.
This is why I was not surprised to see a large number of people who visited the wake of Dr. Zalamea. He was loved by all walks of life. Some of the well-respected organizations offered necrological services like the Knights of Columbus Holy Sepulchre Council and Knights of Rizal Angeles Chapter where I'm also part with; that makes him my brethren. The Boy Scouts of the Philippines and the Rotary Club of Angeles Midtown also provided eulogies at the wake.
Angeles City Mayor Ed Pamintuan, Vice-Mayor Bryan Nepomuceno and the city council also paid respects to Doc Ric when his remains had been temporarily transferred to the session hall of the city council for public viewing and eulogy.
The people's doctor will surely be missed and I hope his legacy will not be forgotten.