It was a few of the days when the City of Victorias was so quiet and the streets looked really sad. It was like a holiday without cars on the road, the flag half mast, the traffic enforcers sad looked, the City hall employees have teary eyes.

The people are crying, the workers are in mourning, the family is in grief. The Mother of Victorias left them. Former Mayor Remedios P. Bantug was a woman that almost everyone knew to be the most generous, religious, kind-hearted and yet strong-willed lady who helped thousands of people. The legacy that she left the City is enormous that thousands of people flock to her wake. The flower shops stopped accepting orders of flowers because everyone was just sending her. People lined up to see a glance of the old lady. The President of the country and some members of the Senate and House of Representative, Public Officials and Officers of multinational Corporations sent their sympathies.

Personally, Mrs. Bantug or Lola Idiong, was the most generous person to have helped me and my family. She shared in our tuition fees, paid some of the lawyers fees, paid some of the hospital bills and medicine, gave work and business to my parents, lend us anything that she had to facilitate relatives. I can hardly remember her saying no to a needy family member. This kind of testimony is not for us but for the people she loved in general , the people whom she saw the need of extending a hand.

Lola Idiong built that Ikaayong Lawas Foundation Hospital or Immaculate Conception Hospital, the only hospital in Victorias which catered the people of Manapla, Victorias and EB Magalona. She spearheaded the Damas de la Caridad and was active in Church activities because of the many donations for the Church. Her family is always involved in medical missions and outreach programs. During her stint as Mayor of Victorias, at the age of 81, she has built the Victorias Rehabilation Center, beautified the plaza, shared in the construction of the Coliseum and many other projects that helped the City to be a better place to live in.

Lola Idiong is survived by her siblings, Atty. Sammy Palanca, Mayor Vero Palanca, Nenita Alonte, Chayong Palanca and Dr. Ernesto Palanca, children, Vicky Hoffart, Armita Rufino, Reynaldo Bantug and Cynthia Regino, her children in law, grand children and great grandchildren. She will always be remembered for her kind heart and generosity, firm leadership, sweet smile, and her smart dresses and jewelries, and her throwing of extravangant parties held in her “punong”.

Farewell, grand matriarch, may your rest in peace!