House holds necrological services for deceased lawmaker

The Philippine flag at the House of Representatives was placed at half mast Tuesday morning as lawmakers honored their deceased colleague, Butil party-list Rep. Leonila Chavez, for the last time. Necrological services were held for Chavez, who passed away Thursday (January 28) due to a stroke, inside the plenary hall of the Batasan Pambansa at 10 a.m. The services are still ongoing as of posting time. Present were several members of the House, as well as Chavez's other colleagues and supporters. "Her passing away is surely a great loss to the thousands of farmers and peasant families whom she had ably represented in the halls of the House of Representatives," Speaker Prospero Nograles said last week. At the time of her death, Chavez was on her second term as Butil's representative. She would have turned 76 last January 31. She was the chairperson of the House committee on food security, vice chairperson of the committee on cooperatives development, and a member of several other committees. - Johanna Camille Sisante/RSJ, GMANews.TV