Teddy Ouano passes on

Thadeo “Teddy” Ouano (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

Cebu Provincial Board member Thadeo “Teddy” Ouano died from complications of prostate cancer and diabetes yesterday. He was 71.

Family spokesperson Emy Bustillo said Ouano passed away at 5:55 p.m. Friday in his residence in Barangay Opao, Mandaue City.

Ouano’s daughter Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon announced her father’s death in a Facebook post: “Papa Ted is gone. There are no words. I love you so much, Pa.”

Ouano served three terms as Mandaue City mayor from 1998 to 2007 before he was elected in 2010 to the Provincial Board as 6th district representative.

As PB member, Ouano was “an active warrior for the environment,” said Governor Hilario Davide III.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Board Member Ouano . . . He was responsible for the passage of several ordinances for the protection of the environment, including those that would strengthen our anti-illegal fishing laws. Our deepest condolences to his beloved family,” the governor said in a statement.
Vice Gov. Agnes A. Magpale expressed shock upon learning of Ouano’s demise.

“I really thought he was getting better already,” she told Cebu Daily News. She said she and some PB members had been planning to visit Ouano. She said they have lost a “good colleague and friend.”

Although they belong to different political parties, Magpale said she had a very good working relationship with Ouano. Magpale is a member of the Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya (Bakud) while Ouano was a member of the Garcia-led One Cebu party.

“He handled the committees he headed with so much efficiency,” Magpale said.

Ouano was chairman of the PB committee on environment and natural resources as well as the committee on ways and means.

Ouano authored the Provincial Fisheries Ordinance which, among others, bans the capture, transport and sale of all shark species and their parts in the entire province.

Vince Cinches, Greenpeace Philippines Oceans campaigner, described Ouano’s demise as a “huge loss to the cause to protect the rights of fishers and the health of our oceans.”

“We lost a great ally in Cebu. To the man who doesn’t know how to say no when asked to legislate important interventions for environmental protection: Our move to ban the catching, trading and possession of all species of sharks may be controversial, but you were there all the way, making sure that it will see the day,” Cinches said in a Facebook post.

Ouano also authored the ordinances declaring the last Friday of June and June 9 as Arbor Day and Coral Triangle Day, respectively, in Cebu.
One Cebu vice gubernatorial bet Nerissa Soon-Ruiz said Ouano’s legacy to the Mandauehanons includes the “Mandaue City College, new market, and city abattoir, to name a few.”

Among Ouano’s last wishes was to see daughter Lolypop win the May 9 elections. Lolypop is running for Mandaue City mayor under One Cebu against Rep. Luigi Quisumbing of the Liberal Party.

“It is so terribly sad he could not get to see the day (that she would win),” Soon-Ruiz said.

Consolacion Mayor Teresa Alegado also extended her condolences to the Ouano family.

“He has done a lot during his time as a public official. As much as I know, he really wanted to serve more,” she said.

Ouano, through son Jonkie, filed his candidacy for a third term in the PB.

Bustillo said Ouano had been in and out of hospitals because of his illnesses. He is survived by wife Linda and three children Lolypop, Alfie and Jonkie.

The wake is being held at the Ouano residence. Interment details will follow.