Mayor Chan: Duterte’s letter of condolence helps ease pain of losing mom

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — A letter of condolence from President Rodrigo Duterte has lifted the spirits of Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan and his family, whose mother recently passed away.

Mayor Chan said in his Facebook post tht the President’s gesture had somehow eased the pain ang longing that his family felt when their mother, Erlinda Chan died.

Erlinda passed away on January 28 after she succumbed to aspiration pneumonia and cardiac arrest after she choked while eating her lunch.

Read: Lapu-Lapu mayor’s mother passes on at 69

“Ang maong sulat aduna gyuy personal nga perma gikan kaniya ug ato gayud nga nabati ang ka sinsero sa mensahe niini,” Chan said in his post.

(The letter bore his personal signature and we felt the sincere message that he wanted to send to us.)

President Duterte extended his deepest condolences for the passing of Erlinda to the mayor through the letter.

“I know that this is not an easy time, and the loss of a mother is especially hard to bear, but I hope that you will take comfort in the thought that she has lived a full and happy life and that she is now at peace in the loving arms of our Creator,” Duterte said in his letter.

“Continue to honor her memory by remembering the many lessons that she has imparted to you and by helping the people close to her heart,” he said in the letter.

The letter was dated January 29 and was received by the mayor on February 11.

Mayor Chan said that despite the President’s busy schedule, Duterte was able to show his fatherly love to his children, specifically to the mayor’s family./dbs