COLLEGE of Nursing and Senior High School (SHS) professor Dr. Jerry Manlapaz died last March 26 from complications of Covid-19. He was 43 years old.
His death was confirmed by his sister, Mhay Pineda, who said that Manlapaz had pneumonia and pulmonary edema, or excess fluid, in the lungs prior to testing positive for Covid-19.
Manlapaz began teaching at the College of Nursing in 2016, and later on became a faculty member in UST Senior High School’s health-allied strand.
Before being an educator at UST, he taught at the Philippine Women’s University where he graduated from and obtained his master’s degree in Nursing in 2010 and doctorate in Educational Management in 2014.
He was previously dean of the Emilio Aguinaldo College School of Nursing and Midwifery, where he taught orthopedic nursing from 2006 to 2016.
Tributes from former students and colleagues of the late professor poured in social media.
College of Nursing Dean Prof. Rowena Escolar Chua said that the death of Manlapaz was “so close to home.”
“[Covid-19] you are a carrier of the devil’s plans. Dr. Jerry Manlapaz, you have been a good friend […] The UST College of Nursing remembers you with fond memories,” she said in a Facebook post.
“Rest well, doc dean! It is deeply tragic to hear about your sudden passing, but we will strive to be competent doctors and professionals that you had hoped we would become,” Jedrek Abantao, a former UST-SHS student, said in his post.
Florence Art Yabut, a UST nursing graduate, said Manlapaz was a supportive professor to his students “without reservations.”
“Dacal pung (Maraming) salamat for teaching real compassion, true competence and strong commitment in all that we do, Sir,” she said in her Facebook post.
His ashes were interred at Magalang Memorial Park in Pampanga last March 30.
