Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 6) — George T. Hofer, the founding father of Zamboanga Sibugay, has passed away. He was 80 years old.
His niece, Karla Kintanar-Fernandez, confirmed Hofer’s passing in a post on social media.
She said the former governor died at the Chonghua Hospital in Cebu City at around 6 a.m. Sunday after battling complicated ailments.
A doctor by profession, Hofer served two terms as mayor of Titay, Zamboanga del Sur from 1992 to 1998. He then became representative of what was then the 3rd District of Zamboanga de Sur in 1998.
It was during his term as representative that he passed Republic Act (RA) No. 8973, which created the province of Zamboanga Sibugay from what was the 3rd District of Zamboanga del Sur.
In the 2001 elections, he moved to his home province of Zamboanga Sibugay and secured its first governorship. He served as governor from 2001 to 2010.
Hofer’s remains will be at the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes in Lahug from January 6 to 9. He will be flown to Sibugay on Thursday and the interment will take place on January 14 at Barangay Bangko, Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay.
