Dr. Henry Fernandez, 77, was the first doctor to succumb to the COVID-19 pandemic. The “doktor ng bayan” of Bayambang, Pangasinan, he spent his life serving the town.
In a Facebook post by Mayor Cezar Quiambao of Bayambang, he is remembered as having “helped each and every Bayambangueño in one way or another through his words and through his actions.”
“Dr. Fernandez, your impact on the lives of thousands of Bayambangueños will never be forgotten. Your love for your family is remarkable and your love for your town is unquestionable. We promise to keep your memory alive in our hearts forever,” continued the mayor in his tribute.
He has served many roles in the community aside from being a doctor such as being the Director of the Lingayen Gulf Coastal Area Management Commission (LGCAMC) and the President of the Rotary Club of Bayambang.
“Your happy company will be missed but the memories of all your good deeds shall remain in our hearts,” wrote Romulo Velasquez in a Facebook post.
He was thought to catch COVID-19 from visitors from the US. He died at the Lung Center of the Philippines on March 20. The doctor had symptoms two weeks after his visit to a relative in Manila.
His wife, Julie Fernandez also succumbed to the disease a few days later.
As of this writing, there are 1,546 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines. There have been 78 deaths, including 10 doctors. According to the Department of Health, there had only been 42 recoveries from the disease.
