Oriental Mindoro Rep. Arnan Panaligan has returned to the Batasang Pambansa complex to attend the in-person sessions of the House of Representatives.
In the past three weeks, Panaligan had attended sessions online because of father’s hospital confinement and eventual passing.
In a Facebook post, Panaligan said his father had actually wanted him to be at the session hall.
He recalled that before he left to attend the May 8 session in person, he dropped by his father’s hospital room.
But his dad wondered why he was there when he had a boat to catch to attend the session. His dad told him, “bayan muna.”
Those were his dad’s last vocalized words to him, as his father’s condition soon deteriorated and he had to be hooked to a ventilator and could not verbally communicate.
Now, Panaligan said that every time he goes to Congress, he will always remember his dad’s words to him.
“Back to work in Congress – For the past 3 weeks, I attended the sessions online because of my father’s hospital confinement and eventual passing away. I was able to attend the session face to face last May 8, 2023, the first day of the resumption of the session after the Holy Week and Easter recess but had to rush back to Calapan City the next day, May 9, when my father’s condition deteriorated. Before I left for Manila in the morning of May 8, I dropped by at my father’s hospital room. When he saw me, he said: “Bakit andito ka pa, baka maiwan ka ng barko. May session ka. Lakad na. Bayan muna.” The nurse smiled when he heard my Dad’s words: “Bayan muna.” Those were my Dad’s last vocalized words to me: “Bayan Muna.” The next day, when I returned from Congress, my father was already hooked to a ventilator and could no longer communicate except by nodding his head or through hand gestures until he passed away on May 17. Every time I go to work in Congress, my beloved Dad’s last words to me will ring in my ears: “Bayan Muna.” – Rep. Arnan C. Panaligan,” Panaligan posted.