CASTILLEJOS, Zambales -The man dubbed as the “Action Man,“ former Zambales Gov. Vicente Pulido Magsaysay died of a heart attack April 13 at the Baypointe Hospital inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. He was 80.
The nephew of the late President Ramon Magsaysay, fondly monikered “Andar,” “1-1,” “Bok” and later GOVIC was the country’s youngest governor at 27 in his first election to the Zambales capitol in 1968.
Andar, for impressing his constituents with hisimmediate implementation of infra projects within 24 hours under his personal watch; 1-1 for the plate number of his official car during his earlier term; Bok,to his best friends; and then “Govic” when he again assumed the governorship in 1998.
Magsaysay served as governor for all of 27 years: from 1968 to 1986 unseated by the People Power Revolt, and then again from 1998 to 2007. His motto was “Work and Serve the People.”
During his term, the mobile passporting was initiated every three months with the help of the Department of Foreign Affairs where more than 20,000 residents were served.
In January 2009, he was appointed as chairman of the Postal Bank of the Philippines by President Gloria Macapagal–Arroyo.
Magsaysay’s remains lie in state at his White House residence in this town.
Zambaleños who learned of his passing were shocked and wept over their loss of “the best governor they ever had.”
Interment will be on Friday even as most of his relatives, friends, and followers are locked down in their respective residences due to Covid–19 pandemic.
