Full military honors and white roses for Lobregat at Manila Memorial

Maria Clara Lobregat, the beloved mayor of Zamboanga City, was given full military honors at noon yesterday when she was brought to her final resting place at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City.

The 82-year-old Lobregat, who was fondly called "Tita Caling" by Zamboangeños was taken to the Gardens of Affection of the Manila Memorial Park at around 11:45 a.m. Her casket was laid beside the tomb of her husband Celso Tito Lobregat, who died in 1969 at the age of 51.

Senior Inspector John Sindac, commander of the Escorts and Honor Guard (EHG) at Camp Crame, said they had been at the park since 8 a.m. They provided internment honors while Marines used M-14 rifles for the 21-gun salute. The Navy band played the Funeral March from the front gate and accompanied the hearse carrying Lobregat’s casket to the burial ground.

A Philippine flag was placed on top of her casket and those in attendance offered white roses as the city’s official hymn, Zamboanga Hermosa, was played.

More than 100-vehicles made up the convoy that traveled from the Sanctuario de San Antonio Chapel in Barangay Forbes Park in Makati City. Most of those who attended were officials of the Zamboanga city government. They flew all the way to Manila to pay their last respect to the mayor.

City Council secretary Zenaida Jaime, who has been working at Zamboanga City Hall for 29 years now, said some of the officials arrived in Manila last Friday. Joining the councilors and local government department heads were some 49 barangay officials.

Administrator Antonio Orendain Jr., who worked with Lobregat for almost six years, said he remembers her "unlimited generosity and being compassionate in all her actions." "She changed the image of our city. Before she became mayor, Zamboanga was the fourth dirtiest city in the country, but in 2003, we were the fourth cleanest among highly urbanized cities. She started cleaning the sidewalks, beautifying the city, transferring informal settlers and improved the flow of traffic," Orendain said.

As for peace and order, the mayor maintained a good relationship with the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces. She also imposed a gun ban. In doing so, she erased the city’s image as a "battleground."

Zamboangeño Luis Yanga said: "Siya lang ang may moral ascendancy to lead a highly diversed Zamboanga. Sobrang mahal namin siya."

"The people loved her. For the four days of her wake, the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Concepcion, which has a seating capacity of 3,000, was overflowing day and night," Orendain added.

Zamboanga resident Cecile Marcos said everyone considered her as a loving mother.

"She is really for Zamboanga. I have come to respect her for what she has done for the city. She has united us, fought for us and propagated the Chavacano culture," Marcos said.