Former Quezon City Mayor Ismael "Mel" A. Mathay, Jr., succumbed to a heart attack on December 25, Christmas Day at the age of 81 years old.
"Yes, Mayor Mel Mathay passed on this morning," Quezon City Mayor Herbert M. Bautista said in a text message sent to news site Business World.
Greg Bañacia of Quezon City’s Public Affairs and Information Services Office said in a telephone interview Mr. Mathay passed on at around 9 a.m. yesterday at The Medical City in Pasig City based on information from his brother Simplicio.
Mr. Mathay’s remains would be brought at Christ the King Parish at Greenmeadows Avenue, Quezon City.
Based on information in Quezon City’s public library online, Mr. Mathay was born in Manila on June 26, 1932.
He finished with a Business Administration major in Economic degree from the University of the Philippines. He was also a member of the university publication Philippine Collegian. He then took up law at the San Beda College and passed the bar examinations in 1957.
Mr. Mathay was first elected as Quezon City’s vice-mayor in 1967, and later as vice-governor of the Metro Manila Commission (now known as the Metro Manila Development Authority MMDA) during the Marcos era.
Mr. Mathay was then elected as Quezon City Mayor and served for three terms from 1992 to 2001.--Source: Business World