Bocaue, Bulacan Mayor Eleanor “Joni” Villanueva-Tugna also known as “The Toss Coin Mayor” died at St. Luke’s Hospital at Global City in Taguig at exactly 5:08 PM on Thursday.
Her death shocks more than six million members of the Jesus Is Lord (JIL) as well as the Bulakenyos especially her fellow Bocaueños who are now mourning for her early death.
According to text message sent by Atty Gidgette Villanueva, cousin of Mayor Tugna, the cause of death was Bacterial Pneumonia. She was 42, and in her second term as local chief executive of Municipality of Bocaue.
Last month during Enhanced Community Quarantine due to Covid-19 pandemic, in an interview while conducting relief packing operation, Mayor Tugna admitted that she was diagnosed on early month of March of autoimmune disease.
She said that many red rashes appear on her skin wherein her immune system eats her body.
It was learned that despite of medical condition she has, the mayor still managed and continue served her fellow Bocaueños while on enhanced community quarantine as she personally supervising the packing of food packs and even joined the relief distribution in every barangay.
Her last public service appearance was in JIL College Foundation during relief distribution to nineteen barangays of Bocaue.
According to the family, Mayor Tugna was confined at the ICU of St Lukes BGC for three weeks prior to her death.
Autoimmune disease is a disease that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by this disease can affect many different body systems including joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs.
Villanueva hails from a family of politicians, which includes her brother Senator Joel, his father Brother Eddie, founder of JIL church and a member of the House of Representatives, representing the CIBAC party-list. Her husband, Sherwin Tugna, was also former party-list representative and his brother JonJon was also a former mayor of Bocaue.
Bulacan top chief executive Governor Daniel Fernando and all local government unit in the province and concerned individuals are gripped with sadness and mourned as they extended their condolences to the bereaved members of the family.Mayor Tugna is survived by her husband former CIBAC Representative Sherwin Tugna, her children Eleana Doreen, Joaquin Eduardo, Elia Grace and Lexi Joy, brothers JonJon and Joel and sister Jovy.
Last March 10, 2020 her mother Adoracion Jose-Villanueva, also known as “Sister Dory,” a teacher and president of the JIL Colleges Foundation Inc. died of fatal arrhythmia secondary to septic shock at the age of 73.
Mayor Joni’s first run for mayoralty post in 2016 was once a memorable and marked first in history of Bocaue as she was proclaimed mayor through a best-of-five coin-toss method as the result of total ballot of votes tied between her and political rival Jim Valerio.
Mayor Tugna marks a remarkable performance in the town of Bocaue because of her hard work and dedication in serving her constituents.