Erlynda Mangaco Borja

Erlynda “Early “ Mangaco Borja passed away in the city of San Diego early morning Saturday, February 22 at the age of 66. Erlynda was born in the Philippines on November 1 to Pedro and Carmen Mangaco. An only child, she grew up in San Fernando, Pampanga alongside her cousins.

By profession, Erlynda Borja was a nurse for over 50 years. She was one of the many young Filipina nurses recruited to the United States in the 1980’s and grew roots in Brooklyn, New York for over 8 years. She spent her young adulthood in New York City with her fellow nursing roommates who became her first family in the United States. They recall spending weekends eating, shopping, and traveling the East Coast together.

Following her marriage in 1988 to her hometown sweetheart, Nicasio “Nick” Borja, Erlynda left New York to begin their lives together in San Diego, California.

Erlynda served the families of Southern California at Sharp Healthcare for over 30 years. She established herself in different hospitals and programs throughout the city, such as Sharp Knollwood and Sharp Cabrillo, where she made countless memories with her colleagues. Her passion for patient care, leadership and teaching eventually earned her Sharp Healthcare’s Nurse of The Year Award in 2004. Following her success at Sharp Cabrillo, Erlynda Borja ended her time as the Director of Staff Development at Sharp Birch Patrick in Chula Vista, CA.

A lifelong learner, Erlynda went on to achieve her master's in nursing alongside some of her beloved colleagues. Erlynda is also a featured author in the National Library of Medicine, through the National Institute of Health, where scholars around the world will be able to refer to her work to advance geriatric care and studies for generations to come.

Erlynda will be remembered for her strong convictions, excellent taste, unwavering pride for her loved ones, and uplifting others.

Erlynda is survived by her husband of 32 years, Nick Borja, and two adult children, Nicole Borja and Kevin Borja. She is also survived by two golden retrievers, Oliver Nathan and Charles-Walter.

Services for Erlynda Borja will be held on Tuesday, March 11 at Glen Abbey’s Chapel of the Roses in Bonita, CA. The viewing will begin promptly from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, followed by a funeral service from 1-2 and a reception with light refreshments from 2:00 – 4:00 PM.