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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Former Camarines Sur Rep. Andaya passes away

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Former Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. has passed away.

The passing of Andaya, 53, was announced by his family on a social media page Thursday. “We request for your fervent prayers for his eternal repose, and to allow us, his family, to grieve privately our loss,” his children Ranton and Katrina wrote.

This developed as legislators and friends of Andaya mourned the latter’s passing.

A fellow Bicolano, Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda of Albay also mourned the passing of Andaya.

“I grieve the loss of my friend and longtime colleague, Rolando ‘Nonoy’ Andaya Jr., and condole with his bereaved children. We were colleagues both in Congress and in the PGMA cabinet. His father, Rolando Sr., was a mentor to me, who provided me with opportunities for success, that very few senior members are willing to give freshmen congressmen,” Salceda said.

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He added that “Nonoy, his son, would later follow in the footsteps of his father as Appropriations Chair, as I also did follow this mentor.

In this sense, Nonoy was my brother, for we shared a common mentor, his father, in the House.  I am especially saddened by how heavily the loss of his beloved Marissa, my colleague, must have weighed on Nonoy.”

“Nonoy Andaya will be remembered for the vigor with which he infused discussions on the national budget, arguably the House’s most important national function.   I condole with his beloved family, his district, and the people of Camarines Sur, whom he wished above all to serve,” Salceda said.

Outgoing Anakalysugan Rep. Michael Defensor was saddened by Andaya’s passing. “Nonoy is one of one my closest friends. We were together in congress and in the cabinet. We share the same kind of sense of humor which many people may find weird.” Defensor, who served as environment chief during the Arroyo administration, also shared happy memories with Andaya.  “I remember one time when Pres GMA called him to her office. He was literally running and when he saw me, catching his breath, asked if the President was in a good mood. I told him yes and is, in fact, in a happy mood. He went in as I hid behind the door and I saw the Pres shouting as regards a data in the budget ( Noy was DBM secretary) she could not ascertain. I was laughing quietly pointing at him as Noy looked at me standing behind President GMA who was sitting down typing. He was cursing me with no sound as I laughed through his ordeal. We both went out of the room laughing as he was giving me the “bad sign” for playing a trick on him.”

“The death of Marissa, his dear wife, took a toll on him. She was his reason for being. He could not do anything without her,” Defensor added.

Andaya,  a lawyer, Jr. represented the 1st District of Camarines Sur from 1998 to 2006 and again from 2010 to 2019.

He also served as the Majority Floor Leader of the House of Representatives of the Philippines and the Secretary of Budget and Management, both under the Arroyo administration.

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