MANILA, Philippines – Malabon City Mayor Canuto “Tito” Oreta, 73, died yesterday at the St. Luke’s Medical Center after battling lung cancer for more than a year.
Vice Mayor Antolin Oreta III, Oreta’s nephew, made the announcement at the city hall yesterday. The younger Oreta is a son of former senator Tessie Aquino-Oreta, which makes him President Aquino’s first cousin, and businessman Antolin Oreta, the late mayor’s younger brother.
Antolin had taken over the reins of the city government in an acting capacity since the late mayor took an indefinite leave in March this year.
Oreta, who was a chain smoker, was diagnosed with stage four cancer last year and has been in and out of the hospital until his death at around 10 a.m. yesterday.
Bong Padua, city information chief, told The STAR that Oreta’s remains will lie in state at the family’s home at 397 M. H. del Pilar street in Barangay Maysilo until Sept. 7. It will be transferred to the city for public viewing and cremated and buried on Sept. 8.
Prior to entering politics, Oreta – a civil engineer – ran a construction business. He was first elected as a village chairman in his native Maysilo in 1989 and later became president of the city’s Liga ng mga Barangay, which made him an automatic member of the city council.
He ran for mayor in 2004 and won under the Nationalist People’s Coalition banner. He won a second and third term in 2007 and 2010, respectively, virtually unopposed.
Padua said Oreta is credited for unifying the feuding political clans in the city.
Oreta is also credited for having built the new 11-story city hall and the nearby Oreta Sports Complex, public markets and raised city streets to mitigate floods.
Oreta is survived by his wife Maria Aranzazu Dionisio; only daughter Nina; and sons Dondi, Mon, Vic and Paolo. – Pete Laude