Hagåtña, Guam – Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio issued the following statements on the passing of former Commissioner of Dededo Popoy Zamora:
“We join the island of Guam in mourning the passing of former Commissioner of Dededo Popoy Zamora, the first elected mayor from our island of Filipino descent and a true champion of community, who helped to foster the vibrant diversity our Filipino neighbors and friends have integrated into our island culture,” said Governor Leon Guerrero. “At a time when Filipino migrants were leaving the Philippines in search of a better life, Guam shone as a beacon of hope, and dutiful citizens such as Commissioner Zamora made their resettling a more comfortable reality. We send his family on Guam and in the Philippines our most heartfelt condolences.”
“From hosting beauty pageants, basketball tournaments, and concerts, to veterans luncheons, cultural performances, disaster relief drives, and Philippine independence celebrations, Commissioner Zamora was deeply committed to bringing alive the Filipino community of Guam,” said Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio. “His leadership in these special projects spanned over five decades, but he is perhaps best known islandwide as the voice behind the longtime Buhay Pinoy talk show on PBS, which he used as the bridge for communication between Filipinos on Guam and their homeland. It was through these many valuable contributions that he earned the Philippines’ Presidential Award for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas in 1996. Guam has truly lost a legend of our Filipino community, but his legacy will remain inspiring.”
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