“The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.” — Cicero
Today, I am in deep grief over the sudden loss of a dear friend whose happy life ended after a fatal heart attack.
At the age of 50, Zacarias “Zack” Seracarpio, single, was a loyal and dedicated political staffer of City Councilor Matthew Mendoza of Puerto Princesa City for a decade.
I knew Zack, who once worked at the Capitol, was not a corrupt political officer and never abusive. He was not arrogant and never confrontational. He was a friend to all and an enemy to none, possessing the character and qualities of a good political staffer.
Since Zack was the best friend of my younger brother Joel, who graduated in Petroleum Engineering but became a Palawan police officer before he died ten years ago, Zack became like a younger brother to me, too.
His elder brother Zanieboy was also an old buddy from college, as well as his wife Gabrille. Zanieboy was a political strategist of the Salvame family in northern Palawan and a loyal senior staffer of now Congresswoman Rosalie Ang Salvame of the 1st District of Palawan.
Zack followed in our footsteps. He eventually became one of us, believing in the good blessings of political hard work.
Last Friday, I learned that Zack had gone to the barangays of Bacungan, Salvacion, and Langogan with City Councilor Mendoza.
After work, Zack proceeded to the residence of our friend, lawyer Sherwin Ednilao, to join the simple celebration of his birthday. I was invited by Sherwin but declined, while Zack enjoyed the party as he sang and danced. He was with some friends who worked at the City Council of Puerto Princesa.
Before midnight, Zack excused himself to have a cigarette break outside the house.
When the group was about to take pictures, they noticed that Zack was gone; he had already left on his motorcycle.
Unknown to them, Zack was on his way home to Sicsican when, upon reaching Tiniguiban, witnesses said they saw him stop, alight from his motorcycle, walk a few steps, and then collapse.
He was fetched by an ambulance that bystanders had called. Upon reaching ACE Hospital, the emergency staff tried to revive Zack but failed as his heartbeat grew weaker.
And the saddest thing—Zack was eventually pronounced dead.
Zack lived a simple life. He was never extravagant. He was never demanding. He was logical and cool-minded.
I never heard anything about Zack being in trouble with the police or anyone else since the day I came back to Puerto Princesa City.
In jest, Zack once told me when we were having cold beers near the city hall: “Andring, life is short, let us enjoy life.”
Then I replied to him: “There is cold beer in Heaven.”
His wake will be at the Adventist chapel in Sicsican, near their residence, according to my friend Zanieboy.
So long, my friend Zack.
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A longtime friend, Rolly “Toto,” 60, from the old barrio of Pulot, now Sofronio Española town, has also passed away.
I was informed by Narra Vice Mayor Edmond “Jojo” Gastanes through a phone call that our good friend Toto was gone.
He ended his fight with pancreatic cancer last Thursday. His family decided to cremate his remains on Tuesday.
Toto was our friend when we were still studying Political Science at Palawan State University’s Tiniguiban campus in Puerto Princesa in the late 1980s.
Like a few other friends, Toto lived a simple married life in Carmona, Cavite, because his wife preferred to stay there while raising their family.
Sometimes, Toto would visit Palawan and drop by the city. He would see Jojo, who was then a purchasing officer at the Crocodile Farm Institute in Barangay Irawan, and would call me at my old residence.
He attended Jojo’s oath-taking as an elected official of Narra, Palawan, last June 30, 2025, while I attended the inaugural address on August 1 at the Session Hall of the Sangguniang Bayan of Narra.
Since our student days, Toto was a chivalrous and jolly person. Because Jojo had an allergy to alcohol, Toto and I would just take two to three bottles of beer.
When he was short of allowance, he would go home to Pulot to sell sacks of palay from their rice farm. He was the youngest among his siblings.
Toto was an honest and loyal friend.
Unlike Jojo and me, who were thrifty—Jojo was supported in his studies by his elder brother, lawyer Edwin Gastanes, who was in Manila, while I was a campus publication scholar. Manong Edwin Gastanes passed away on December 24, 2024.
Zack was 50 and Toto was 60. Both of them were known to my parents and siblings. I knew that in their imperfect lifetimes, they were both happy.
We can never tell how long we have to stay on this planet. But one thing is certain: life is short, and we have to be happy.
On the matter of city infrastructure, the city government has boasted about the near completion of the ₱450 million new City Health building located in Balayong Park, Sta. Monica.
That means by 2026, this project would be functional for city residents.
City Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron earlier said the new health facility would be part of the city government’s broader plan to ensure that all residents have access to reliable and nearby medical services.
Just recently, Palawan Governor Amy Roa Alvarez paid a courtesy visit to Bayron at the city hall. Alvarez was accompanied by provincial board members.
Alvarez informed Bayron that most patients at the provincial hospital were residents of Puerto Princesa City, which is a highly urbanized city.
If that is the case, and the city residents are being served by the provincial hospital, then the city government must appropriate funds to share the province’s burden in terms of medicines and other health care services.
The City Engineering Office must double its efforts to finish the City Health building on time, as its completion has already been delayed.
Among the services that will be available at the Puerto Princesa City Health Medical Complex are general consultations, dental services, laboratory testing for clinical and molecular needs, digital X-ray and ultrasound imaging, birthing services, family planning, nutrition services, prenatal consultations, free vaccinations, animal bite treatment, tuberculosis management under TB-DOTS, and screening at the Social Hygiene Clinic.
It was also said that the city government plans to establish a separate hemodialysis unit as a “stand-alone service.”
With what he envisions, Bayron has many infrastructure projects in the city. I have high hopes he can finish them all before his term ends in 2028 for the benefit of the city residents.
