Former Tagbilaran Mayor Jose Maria Rocha Passed Away

[Mike Ortega Ligalig]

by the Bohol Chronicle - Jose Maria Rocha, former city mayor of Tagbilaran, passed away 1:30 in the morning Wednesday. He was 91.

Rocha served as city mayor twice, first in 1980 to 1986 then in 1992 to 1995. He was also a city councilor and likewise served as executive secretary to then President Carlos P. Garcia.

According to relatives of the former mayor, his remains will be laid in state for two days at the Funeraria Gomez so the public can pay their last respects to the deceased public servant.

Rocha is best remembered as one of the pillars of Tagbilaran’s growth who initiated the expansion of the city proper by establishing the “satellite city” concept which now includes the Tagbilaran City Central Public Market, Integrated Bus Terminal, the City Government Center (City Hall) and the business complex of the Island City Mall and other commercial establishments.

Rocha also served the Philippine National Red Cross before his appointment as executive secretary of former President Garcia.

It was through Rocha’s efforts that a modern maternity house, now known as the Tagbilaran Puericulture Center and Maternity House (TPCMH), was built equipped with facilities for maternal care and treatment of patients.

Several former city officials paid tribute to Rocha over “Inyong Alagad” Wednesday stressing his dignity and honor as a public servant and as a private citizen.

In a public notice over Station dyRD, relatives of the deceased former mayor appealed to the public who want to bring flowers to the wake to instead convert the same into donations at the TPCMH.

[islander]

my prayers for a respectable man. 

i cherish the honor to have been approached by him (unbelievable!) in a tagbilaran restaurant once, some six years ago, to say that he had listened to every word of a speech of mine a few days before.  i was flattered and thankful, doubtless.  (it was an embarrassingly rambling speech, actually, but it was amazing that he remembered me at all.) 

i am forever grateful for his gesture.  it was noblesse oblige, precious and rare.  in more ways than one, in that brief encounter, he had shown dignity in humility. 

[chicogon]

Sama niya kami sad imong mga sumusunod dire sa TB

[fdaray]

condolence to the Rocha family.

[hubag bohol]

Sama niya kami sad imong mga sumusunod dire sa TB

Yes, we are all followers of the smell trail...

[bugsay]

Yes, we are all followers of the smell trail...

ako pod

[hubag bohol]

ako pod

Di jud ta masaag ani kay isog jamo ang baho nga gisunod, bisag magpijong pa...

[bugsay]

Di jud ta masaag ani kay isog jamo ang baho nga gisunod, bisag magpijong pa...

imong nasimhutan nga mao na ni ang atong gipangita?....

[hubag bohol]

imong nasimhutan nga mao na ni ang atong gipangita?....

...nga dugay rang idlas apan gibudhian sa iyang pagpangalisbo?

[islander]

uy, giliko na man ni nga thread ug duha ka kanding... 

[Lorenzo]

My condolences to the Rocha Family. May the soul of Mr. Jose Maria Rocha rest in peace in God's Loving Embrace.

[hubag bohol]

uy, giliko na man ni nga thread ug duha ka kanding... 

Bwahaha! Sowee po, gisugdan man gud ni Fr. Chic, unya gidasonan pa jud dayon ni Bugsay...

[chicogon]

Bwahaha! Sowee po, gisugdan man gud ni Fr. Chic, unya gidasonan pa jud dayon ni Bugsay...

Hmmm unsa goy gisugdan... akong giingon "sumusunod" ra gani ko 

[hubag bohol]

Hmmm unsa goy gisugdan... akong giingon "sumusunod" ra gani ko 

He he, ang imong deklarasyon nga ikaw usa ka sumusunod maoy nag-aghat sa pagsimang sa estorya. Sa ato pa, ikaw usa ka sulondon nga sumusunod nga gisundsunod kanamo nga nagbaton og pagtuo nga susama sa imong pagtuo sa gisugdan nimo pagsunod...

[bugsay]

basin nisimang ang gisunod, so, nisimang pod ang sumusunod

[hubag bohol]

basin nisimang ang gisunod, so, nisimang pod ang sumusunod

Korek! Ang atong gisunod maoy nakadakop sa sulondon nga smell trail, kita kuyog-baboy lang...