Batanes congressman Ciriaco Gato Jr. dies

CONGRESSMAN. The late Ciriaco Gato Jr. in 2024.

House of Representatives

Gato chaired the House health committee from 2022 until his death

MANILA, Philippines – Batanes Representative Ciriaco “Jun” Gato Jr. has passed away, the provincial government announced on Monday, September 21.

He was 66.

“For Batanes, his passing is not merely the loss of a public servant. It is the loss of a son of the province who devoted his life, his profession, and his public service to the welfare of his fellow Ivatans,” the Batanes provincial government said on Facebook.

“As our congressman, he stood as a voice for our province and worked to ensure that the needs of our people were heard and given due attention at the national level,” it added.

The cause of death has not been specified.

Gato entered Congress in 2019, spoiling former budget secretary and Batanes representative Butch Abad’s comeback bid. Gato had been reelected twice and had been serving his third and final term prior to his death.

Gato was a native of Batanes, born in Sabtang and raised in Itbayat, where he finished basic education. He is a product of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine and was an ear, nose, and throat specialist prior to entering politics.

Gato was a member of the House health committee throughout his congressional stint and had been its chairperson from 2022 until his death.

As health committee chairperson, he played a key role in the passage of some priority measures of the administration. These include Republic Act No. 11959, which builds specialty centers in Department of Health hospitals in every region, and Republic Act No. 12290, which established the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines.

Gato is survived by his wife Jade and their two daughters. – Rappler.com