CEBU CITY—Cebu City first district Rep. Raul del Mar passed away Monday night. He was 79.
The Cebu Citizens-Press Council (CCPC) confirmed the passing of Del Mar, who served as congressman of Cebu City’s north district for nine terms.
Del Mar’s family has yet to issue a formal statement about his passing, as of press time.
“The Cebu Citizens-Press Council (CCPC) mourns the death of Raul V. Del Mar, congressman of Cebu City’s north district for nine terms, just two years short of a total of 29 years in public service,” CCPC said in a statement.
According to CCPC, Del Mar died in a hospital in Manila where he had been attending virtual sessions of the House.
CCPC recognized Del Mar as “Kampyon sa Medya” for his legislative works on media concerns.
Del Mar was the principal author of Republic Act No. 11122 of 2018 which declares September 21 of each year as a working holiday in the cities and province of Cebu in celebration of the Cebu Press Freedom Day.
“As son of a journalist and manager of a local newspaper for a number of years, he had the media workers’ welfare at heart, helping the collective effort of media and citizens to have a free but responsible press in Cebu and improve the craft of journalism,” read the CCPC.
Del Mar served as Cebu City north district representative in congress for nine terms since 1987 under the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).
“We deeply mourn the passing of Rep. Raul del Mar of the Cebu City-North District. Rep. del Mar and I worked together on various urban poor projects in Cebu City,” said Cebu City councilor and BOPK member Alvin Dizon.