ILOILO City – Couple Gary and Donna Rose Ratilla, owners of one of the biggest taxi companies in Western Visayas, succumbed to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The husband died on July 29, while the wife on Aug. 8, according to City COVID Team spokesperson Jeck Conlu.
With over 200 taxi units, GDR Taxi is one of the biggest taxi fleets in the region.
Friends, acquaintances and fellow businessmen flooded the social media account of Mrs. Ratilla with prayers and condolences.
Officers and members of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce of Industry-Iloilo also condoled with the family and offered prayers for Donna Rose, who was their Past President and Governor.
She had served as president of PCCI-Iloilo Chapter from 2014 to 2015 and from 2016 to 2018. She became PCCI Regional Governor of Western Visayas afterwards.
Aside from GDR Taxi, the couple also owned the GDR Travel and Tour Services, GDR Auto Sales and Services, and GDR Petroleum Storage and Refilling Station.
Former Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog also paid tribute to the couple. He posted on Facebook: “Ang ila GDR Taxi nakahatag sang madamo nga trabaho sa mga Ilonggo ilabi na gid sa mga pigado nga padre de pamilya, ang mga taxi drivers,” Mabilog said.
He described Mrs. Ratilla as the outstanding, multi-awarded and dedicated PCCI president during his time as city mayor.
“They partnered with the city (government) in hosting international events such as APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) conferences that made Iloilo City soared to greater heights. Bugal sang Iloilo kag mga Ilonggo ang ila pagdumala sa Chamber of Commerce,” Mabilog added.
Mrs. Ratilla had also served as co-chairperson of the Regional Development Council in Western Visayas in 2018. President Rodrigo Duterte appointed her.
She had also been an officer of the Iloilo City Tourism Council and member of the Association of Travel and Tour Operators and the Iloilo City Coalition on Clean Air and Climate Change.
The businesswoman was involved in various corporate social activities, tourism advocacies, medical and surgical missions, livelihood for drivers, donations to victims of calamities, and feeding programs, among others.
Among the awards and citations conferred to her included the Regional Tourism Excellence Western Visayas Regional Directors Award (Dec. 2009); “Pagdayaw Award” – Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Patrol 117 (2008/2009); Outstanding Women of Iloilo for non-government organization (NGO) in 2011; Successful Entrepreneur – Taytay Sa Kauswagan, Inc. or TSKI (25 awardees nationwide); Special Recognition of the PCCI-Iloilo as finalist in the 2015 Most Outstanding Chamber Award, and a Special Citation for Most Outstanding Chamber for Tourism Advocacy in 2015./PN
