National labor leader and human rights fighter Zoilo “Zoy” De La Cruz of Bacolod City passed away at the Makati Medical Center in Makati City 9:40 p.m. Saturday.
De la Cruz, 84, a former labor sector representative in the House of Representatives, peacefully passed away surrounded by his children, his son Roland de la Cruz, former Murcia town councilor, who is also a labor leader, said yesterday.
Zoilo, who was suffering from kidney failure, had been undergoing dialysis for a year, his son said.
He dedicated his life to the welfare of workers, about whom he was very passionate up to the very end, said Roland, whose father was also a lawyer.
“My father’s priorities had always been God, the workers, and family in that order,” his son said.
A pillar of the trade union movement, my father, from his sick bed, reminded us to never give up the fight for the welfare of the workers, especially in the sugar industry, his son added.
De la Cruz, at the time of his death, was president of the National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines and numerous other labor groups, and national treasurer of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines.
He conceptualized the Social Amelioration Program in the Sugar Industry, the 13th Month Pay, Cost of Living Allowance, and housing projects for sugar mills workers, his biodata states.
His remains that are now at the Santuario de San Antonio in Makati City, will be flown from Metro Manila to Negros Occidental on Friday, where it will lie in state at the Sugar Workers Livelihood Center in Bacolod City.
A necrological mass will be held at the Sugar Workers Livelihood Center in Bacolod City 9 a.m. Saturday, after which his remains will be transferred to the family home in Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod.
Zoilo’s remains will be flown back to Manila for cremation on Monday and laid to rest at the Santuario de San Antonio crypt in Forbes Park, Makati City, Roland said.
He is survived by his children Jess, Linus, Benjie, Zoly, Lizalyn, Roland and Vivian.*CPG - BY CARLA GOMEZ - Visayan Daliy Star
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