Newly promoted Rota Customs major passes away
Newly-promoted Rota Customs major Theodore M. Manglona Sr. recently passed away at the Asian Hospital in the Philippines. He was 59.
Sen. Teresita A. Santos (Ind-Rota) said that Manglona, who is her nephew, died last May 18 due to lung cancer.
Manglona’s remains arrived from the Philippines last Friday and were immediately brought to the Borja Funeral on Saipan. The body was set to be brought to Rota yesterday at 2pm.
Mass will be celebrated at the San Francisco de Borja Church on Rota today, Tuesday, at 10am, to be followed by interment services at the San Jose Cemetery on the island.
Santos said that Manglona had just been promoted to Customs major two months ago.
“As far as I can recall, Maj. Ted [Manglona] was a devoted and humble family man, who also farmed for his family,” Santos said.
At work, Manglona was known as a serious man, who was both dedicated and committed, but also understanding of his employees’ concerns, she added.
Santos described Manglona as “very approachable and easy to get along with, which are valuable traits of a superior.”
When the austerity moratorium was lifted last year, Santos said that Manglona would constantly call Saipan to help Rota Customs employees with their salary adjustments, increases, and promotions.
“He was really pushing hard for the Customs employees to be given their salaries for their outstanding work performances,” she said.
Santos said that Manglona will be remembered for the good man that he was and for his good work as a CNMI law enforcer.
The major is the son of former CNMI lieutenant governor and former Rota mayor Benjamin T. Manglona and Magdalena M. Manglona. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer Apatang Atalig Manglona, and their children.