CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — A former doctor-to-the-barrios who served as the provincial health officer of the province died Tuesday night due to COVID-19.
The death of Dr. Marcelo Jaochico was posted on Facebook by his daughter Cielo.
It was also confirmed by the Pampanga Public Information Office ((PIO) head, Joel Mapiles.
In her post, Cielo appealed to the readers to remember her father not as someone who succumbed to the dreaded disease but one who had done so much for the province and for the country.
“When you speak of him, please speak only of good words. Please do not remember him as someone who just died because of COVID-19.
Sobrang dami niyang ginawa para sa bayan. Please pray for his soul. Please pray for the souls of those who are still fighting,” she said.
She honored her father’s dedication to serve the province risking even his life to COVID-19.
“Dad, we didn’t even get to hug each other for the final time. Uuwi ka ritong nasa kabaong na. Ang sakit, daddy. Deserve mo magkaroon ng lamay at ng libing where all of your loved ones are there. Daddy, mahal na mahal ka namin,” she said.
With his demise, Dr. Jaochico becomes the first doctor in the province to succumb to COVID19.
He is also the 5th doctor to have died from the dreaded disease which killed Drs. Raul Jara and Israel Bactol, both cardiologist of the Philippine Heart Center; and Drs. Rose Pulido, oncologist at San Juan De Dios Hospital, and Greg Macasaet, Anaesthesiologist at Manila Doctors Hospital.
Dr. Jaochico was the first ever doctor-to-the barrios assigned in Calanasan, Apayao.
He tirelessly served the residents there for 16 years, according to comments on Cielo’s post.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippine as of Tuesday rose to 552 with 36 deaths. With the addition of Dr. Jaochico, Pampanga has now four confirmed COVID-19 cases with two deaths.
