December 10, 2015, 1:36p.m. – THE OLDEST Filipino Dominican in the Priory of St. Thomas and the Dominican Province of the Philippines passed away at age 96 on Wednesday, Dec. 9.
Fr. Pedro Traqueña, O.P., the chaplain of UST Hospital, received a lifetime achievement award in 2008 during the Rector’s Report of Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, O.P., for his exemplary service in catering to the spiritual needs of patients at the UST Hospital’s charity ward.
Fr. Traqueña, who was born on Dec. 2, 1919, did missionary work in the Babuyan Islands, and served as national promoter of the National Association of the Holy Name Society in the Philippines.
In a 2012 Varsitarian story, Rector Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, O.P., recalled how Fr. Traqueña often entertained sick patients at UST Hospital by telling them to ask God to give him another year to live.
“Sinasabi ni Fr. Traqueña na sa kanilang (patients) pag-akyat sa langit, sabihin sa Diyos na biyayaan pa siya ng isa pang taon,” Fr. Dagohoy said. Gabriel M. Agcaoili
