STATEMENT OF SP MIGZ ZUBIRI ON THE PASSING OF BAYANI FERNANDO

I am shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of our colleague, Congressman, Chair and Mayor Bayani Fernando of Marikina City.

Bayani Fernando was a visionary, who dreamt of big ideas and then boldly implemented them.

In making our cities liveable, he translated his concepts into concrete achievements, to show us by example that what are initially deemed as impossible can indeed be done.

Driven by a tireless work ethic, BF was a human dynamo, always on the ground, first at the scene, whether to command rescue efforts or direct construction of public works.

He was a civil engineer by training and a social engineer by vocation, always teaching us the important civic lessons that respect for the law and basic good manners are what make our communities great.

He embodied the never-say-die, can-do spirit of the Filipino, and had the bragging rights to show for it, as Marikina the city he loved with all his heart is a living testament to his hard labor and high dreams.

I had the pleasure of working alongside him in our days in Lakas-CMD, and I will always remember him as a hardworking man of the people, who's left a huge imprint on the country, especially on his beloved Marikina and on the whole of Metro Manila.

We're sending our prayers to his family in this difficult time.