The Philippine Online Chronicles

The year 2009 has brought a series of triumphs and defeats to our country. A period of, like a line from a popular song goes – ‘tearful joys and joyful tears.’

Among the year’s most painful blows were the deaths of some of the country’s finest men and women whose advocacies have made life better for us, whose lives were an inspiration and source of pride.

In a fitting tribute, we look back at the personalities, who, despite losing to the inevitable, have left us with a lasting legacy that will continue to live on in the hearts of every Filipino.

Francis Magalona (October 4, 1964 – March 6, 2009)

Rapper, singer, composer, actor

“I am lucky to have been a recording artist and one day when I leave this world... my voice will be heard. Always. At a touch of a button or switch, I am 'alive' again.”

For Francis Durango Magalona, "Kiko" to his family and friends and FrancisM to his fans, 'Music is immortality.' True to this belief, Francis lived for his music, but it did not die with him, instead, its essence became only more significant with his passing. He lives on like so many icons before him, breathing and moving through each one of us through a song.

Magalona was a rapper, songwriter, producer actor, director, entrepreneur and photographer. He was hailed as the “Father of Pinoy Rap” for being the first Filipino rapper to venture into the mainstream music industry in 1990. His string of successful album releases helped catapult rap music from underground to one of the most-popular musical genres in the country.

Magalona is known for his mix of western rap with patriotic lyrics – often depicting love for the Filipino way of life and promoting nationalistic values. Prior to his death, he ventured into the apparel business with his label Francis Magalona Clothing Co. (FMCC). His clothing line “3 Stars & A Sun,” which bore the symbols of the Philippine flag, became the ultimate emblem of nationalism immediately after his death.

News of Magalona’s death was announced on Eat Bulaga where Magalona had been a co-host for many years before his illness forced him to stop working. At age 44, he succumbed to a long bout with acute myeloid leukemia on March 6, 2009 at around 12noon. He was survived by his wife Pia Arroyo and their eight children, including actress Maxene Magalona.

Magalona was the son of ‘40s popular film and real-life loveteam Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran.

Magalona was given a posthumous Presidential Medal of Merit by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for promoting patriotism through his music.

Paraluman (December 14, 1923 – April 27, 2009)

Film actress

Her name is synonymous to 'goddess' -- her perfectly-sculpted face and svelte figure were the envy of the women of her age. '40s onscreen sweetheart Paraluman epitomized beauty and grace that up to this day serves as a standard to which every Filipina leading lady aspires to become.

Sigrid Sophia Agatha von Giese or Paraluman on the big screen, was a Famas award-winning actress. Her film career spanned three decades, from the 1940’s to the late 1970’s, and she was a major contract star of production outfit Sampaguita Pictures.

Born of a German father and a Filipino mother, Paraluman’s innate charm and exquisite beauty had landed her her first role at age 17, “Flores de Mayo”. She initially used the screen name, Mina de Gracia but was later christened Paraluman by Fernando Poe Sr. when she starred in the 1941 movie of the same title. At her prime, she was dubbed as the Philippines’ answer to Swedish-American actress Greta Garbo.

She appeared in over 60 movies during her heyday. She won a Famas Best Actress Award for her role in “Sino ang Maysala?” in 1957. Her last movie was “Kailan sasabihing mahal kita?” in 1985.

Paraluman died of cardiac arrest in her Paranaque City home on April 27, 2009. She was 85.

She was the mother of actress and now Press Undersecretary Baby O’Brien and grandmother of actress Rina Reyes (O’Brien’s daughter).

Susan Magno (August 3, 1956 – July 2, 2009)

Singer/songwriter, activist, educator

Her soothing voice echoed through the many protests that marked her generation. Susan Fernandez-Magno's beautiful soprano was a fuel to her peers' convictions; her lyrics represented the many whose voices would otherwise not be heard.

Susan Fernandez-Magno was a singer/songwriter who gained prominence for her protest songs during the height of rallies against former President Ferdinand Marcos’ martial rule. She was hailed as the “voice of the protest generation,” when she, along with contemporaries Freddie Aguilar and Inang Laya, were mainstays at political rallies to entertain their fellow activists in the 1980’s.

Magno was a known exponent of patriotic songs since her student days at the University of the Philippines. She likewise advocated women empowerment with songs like “Babae Ka,” which speaks of female pride and dignity and has become the unofficial anthem of the women’s movement.

Magno also hosted the 1990s children’s educational show, 'Bulilit' alongside Bodgie Pascua. She likewise taught sociology at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Ateneo de Manila University and St. Scholastica’s College where she graduated elementary and highschool.

Magno succumbed to a year-long bout with ovarian cancer on July 2, 2009 at the Medical City hospital in Pasig. She was 52.

Magno was married to Philippine Star columnist and educator Alex Magno with whom she had two sons: Kalayaan, 25 and Sandino, 22.

Corazon “Cory” Aquino (January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009)

Philippine president, democracy icon

“Ako'y nagpapasalamat sa inyong lahat at lalong-lalo na sa Panginoong Diyos na ginawa niya akong isang Pilipino. Talagang karangalan ko iyon na maging katulad ninyo at maraming salamat sa tulong na ibinigay niyo sa akin.”

- Cory Aquino, September 3, 2008

Her bespectacled face and quiet demeanor to us was a national symbol, as revered as our saints in this Christian nation. The pious Cory Aquino, who stepped up from being a grieving widow and “plain housewife” to one of the most powerful women in the world made us believe again in the power of prayers – and of miracles.

Maria Corazon “Cory” Cojuangco Aquino, hailed as the “mother of Philippine democracy,” was the first female president of the Philippines.

In 1986, Cory then “plain housewife” and widow of martyred senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino led the bloodless People Power revolt which toppled the 20-year regime of former President Ferdinand Marcos, and eventually restored democracy to the country.

Aquino died on August 1, 2009 after an almost year-long battle with colon cancer. She was 76.

Her funeral was reminiscent of that of her husband Ninoy’s – ranking among the most attended in Philippine history. Thousands of her supporters lined the streets, sporting yellow ribbons and shirts, to pay their last respects to Cory. She was buried next to Ninoy at the Manila Memorial Park on August 5, 2009.

Eraño Manalo (January 2, 1925 – August 31, 2009)

Religious leader

Eraño de Guzman Manalo was the executive minister of local church denomination Iglesia ni Cristo (INC). He was the son of INC founder Felix Manalo. Following the elder Manalo’s death in 1963, Erano took over the church’s leadership. He left law school to become a full-fledged minister of the INC and was ordained at the age of 22.

Fondly called Ka Erdy by the INC faithful, Manalo was credited for expanding the church’s membership, not only within the country, but also overseas. It was under his leadership that the INC started making use of media agencies, such as the television network Net25, in propagating the church’s mission to a massive audience.

On August 31, 2009, INC Spokesperson Bienvenido Santiago announced Manalo’s death on radio stations DZBB, DZEM and DZEC, and on television via Net 25. His death was due to cardiopulmonary arrest. He was 84 years old.

Manalo was married to Cristina with whom he had six children, including his successor Eduardo.

Alexis Tioseco (February 11, 1981 – September 1, 2009)

Film critic/writer, academic

“It is important for people to write about their own cinemas and not let it be left to those outside to dictate what matters.”

-Alexis Tioseco

Before the senseless and brutal crime that robbed him of his life, film critic and patriot Alexis Tioseco dedicated his career to rescucitating the dying art of Philippine cinema. His untimely death was a sad day for the entire local movie industry who had just lost its most passionate champion.

Alexis Tioseco was a Filipino-Canadian film critic, writer and professor. He was a known advocate of Southeast Asian cinema, most particularly of the Philippines.

His most significant contribution was helping independent filmmakers to introduce their works to a global audience via Criticine.com, an online film critique site he founded which features films from different countries in Southeast Asia.

Aside from being a film aficionado, Tioseco was a prolific writer. He wrote for leading broadsheets, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and the Philippine Star. He also contributed to international publications Screen International and Senses of Cinema and men’s magazine UNO, and taught film at the University of Asia and the Pacific.

On the night of September 1, 2009, Tioseco and his Slovenian girlfriend, fellow film critic Nika Bohinc, were shot to death inside their Quezon City home by a group of armed burglars. Tioseco was 28.

Bohinc was a freelance journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Slovenian film magazine Ekran. She decided to move to Manila to be with Tioseco. The two met at the 2007 Rotterdam Film Festival where Tioseco served as a jury member.

Odette Alcantara (September 22, 2009)

Environmentalist, writer

Such was the strength of Odette Alcantara's love for the environment that she told her friends that if anything should happen to her, she wanted them to “plant trees” instead of bringing flowers to her funeral.

Alcantara was an environmentalist, writer and ecological artist. She is best known for her strong environmental advocacies, as she spearheaded many environmental concern groups, including Artists for the Environment, where she served as convenor; Earth Philippines and the Earth Day Network.

Alcantara passed away at the age of 68 after she collapsed from an aneurysm.

To honor her request, a tree-planting activity was held in her memory two days after what would have been her 69^th birthday on October 1.

Alecks Pabico (October 7, 2009)

Online journalist

Alecks Pabico was the former multimedia director of media watchdog Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ). PCIJ executive director Malou Mangahas credits Pabico as the “pioneer in the art and science of multimedia [online] journalism” in the country.

Pabico introduced “ground-breaking journalism in the internet age” after he helped develop the PCIJ website in 2004, which grew to become the country’s leading source of in-depth news report. The website also hosted the country’s first journalism group blog where its readers were encouraged to post comments on each news post – a concept later adopted by most news websites in the Philippines.

Pabico was an active student journalist at the University of the Philippines Diliman and was Editor-in-Chief of the Philippine Collegian from 1991 to 1992.

He was diagnosed with liver cancer last year, but opted for an alternative, homeopathic treatment. He died on October 7, 2009 after contracting an infection. He was 42.

Pabico was survived by his wife Mira and their two children, Marlee and Kaya.

Johnny Delgado (February 29, 1948 – November 19, 2009)

Actor/director, writer

Johnny Delgado (Juan Marasigan Feleo in real-life), was an award-winning character actor, director and writer. He was married to renowned film director Laurice Guillen, with whom he has two daughters, actress Ina and opera singer Ana Feleo.

Delgado starred in over 50 films in the span of his four-decade career in television and movies. His first ‘Best Supporting Award’ was for Mike de Leon’s horror flick "Kakabakaba?" in 1980. He won FAMAS Best Actor for the 2000 hit family tearjerker, "Tanging Yaman."

His last television appearance was on the ABS-CBN primetime soap, "May bukas pa," where he played the fagin-type character, Tatay Ben. His last film project was the indie, "Labing-labing," in which he played husband to real-life wife Guillen and was directed by their daughter Ina.

Delgado died of complications arising from lymphoma on November 29, 2009. He was 61.

Photos:

“Candles (Reflection)” by Dave, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved.

“goodbye francis” by Joe, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved.

“Susan Fernandez-Magno” by Shubert Ciencia, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved.

“Tribute to Corazon Aquino” by Gilberto A. Viciedo, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved.

Screen capture of the Daily PCIJ - Alecks Pabico's profile. Blog copyrighted by the Phil. Center for Investigative Journalism.

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