Lapu-Lapu mayor’s mother passes on at 69

Erlinda Chan (right), 69-year-old mother of Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan (left), has passed away on the morning today, January 28, 2021. | Photo courtesy of Mayor Junard Chan’s FB

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan’s mother, Erlinda Chan, passed away around 12:30 p.m. today, January 28, 2021.

She was 69.

This was confirmed by the mayor through his Facebook account.

Just In: Lapu-Lapu Mayor confirms his mother’s death

“I am saddened to announce that my beloved Mom Erlinda Chan is now in the hands of our Almighty God after her sudden death earlier this morning,” Chan’s Facebook post reads.

In a phone interview with Grace Carungay, Chan’s sister and the head of the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, she told CDN Digital that her mother died due to aspiration pneumonia and cardiac arrest after she choked while eating her lunch.

“Natuk-an man gud siya sir unya murag nag-cardiac arrest siya,” Carungay said, adding that when her mother was brought to the hospital where she was declared dead-on-arrival (DOA).

(She choked on her food and she suffered a cardiac arrest.)

She said that her mother was with her kids when the incident happened.

Carungay also clarified that the death of her mother has nothing to do with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection.

“Dili sir uy. Wala gyuy kalabutan sa COVID,” she added.

(No. COVID had nothing to do with her death.)

But she admitted that her mother was diagnosed with diabetes, and has already undergone dialysis twice a week.

Erlinda has worked at the Lapu-Lapu City Hall for more than 20 years. She was assigned at the Sangguniang Panglungsod as an administration aide.

Carungay added that their family would still have to decide if when would be the burial of their mother. 

She, however, said that her wake would be at the mayor’s residence in Barangay Pajo./dbs