Palawan Congressman and Former Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn Has Died

Edward Hagedorn, the longtime public servant from the province of Palawan, and who was known as a staunch advocate of tourism and the environment, has died, his family confirmed on a social media post. He was 76 years old.

Hagedorn was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last February.

Born on October 12 in what was then the municipality of Parañaque, Hagedorn first entered public service when he ran for mayor of Puerto Princesa, the capital city of Palawan. He served consecutive terms as mayor from 1992 to 2001, and then again from 2002 to 2013.

It was during Hagedorn’s term as mayor that the city, and the whole of Palawan province, earned a reputation as one of the Philippines’ premier destinations for eco-tourism. In 1995, he was portrayed in a biopic by no less than the king of Filipino films, Fernando Poe Jr.

In 2005, he was appointed by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as an anti-jueteng czar. Eventually he helped develop a legal alternative to the two-numbers game called Small Town Lottery (STL).

Hagedorn was elected as representative of the third district of Palawan. He was the principal author of the Maharllika Investment Fund Bill that was signed into law by President Bongbong Marcos last July. He also authored a bill that would establish the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority and “a comprehensive legal framework for the utilization of atomic energy in the Philippines,” among many other bills.

Hagedorn is survived by his wife Ma. Elena Marcelo and two children, Eva Christie and Elroy John.

On Tuesday, his official Facebook page shared a video of Hagedorn singing “Be Not Afraid” last May 8. The caption for the video quotes the Bible verse Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”