Eh-hum # 123

SANAMAGAN! I am deeply saddened by the news that Maximo V. Soliven, one of the Philippines' influential journalists, passed away Friday morning in Japan. I even quoted him in my last blog entry (which was his second to the last article). I do not know Manong Max personally, but I always look forward to reading his opinion column, By The Way in the Philippine Star, of which he was also the publisher. His comments and writings, intelligent and straightforward with a dash of humor and at times, poetic, was always a treat to my serious side. Also, for the times I felt the Philippines was going nowhere, his optimism about the country's development gives me hope that yes, we can prevail. More importanly, his decision to stay in the Philippines despite his success is something the Filipinos should consider. There will never be anyone like Manong Max, and he will surely be missed (by both friends and foes alike). Am sure, he's being welcomed by another great journalist, Teodoro Benigno, Jr, in Heaven.

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Soliven to get burial honors at Libingan

The Philippine Star 11/26/2006

The family of the late Philippine STAR publisher and board chairman Max Soliven has accepted the government’s offer to bury Soliven with honors as a war veteran at noon on Friday, December 1, at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Makati City.

Soliven had joined and fought in the resistance against the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines as a guerrilla volunteer while he was a cadet at the Ateneo de Manila Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) during World War II.

He was stricken with acute pulmonary and cardiac arrest on his way back to Manila from Tokyo, Japan last Friday. Soliven was rushed to the Narita Red Cross Hospital but efforts to revive him failed. Doctors declared Soliven dead at 11:26 a.m. (10:26 a.m. Manila time).

Soliven’s father Benito was also a World War II veteran whose exploits during the War in the Pacific were immortalized in Soliven’s column "By the Way," which saw print in The STAR. Soliven flew to Japan last week, where he delivered two major speeches, one before airline officials and the other before Japanese journalists in Osaka. His widow, Ambassador Preciosa Soliven, is still in Japan making arrangements for the return of his remains. Ambassador Soliven said it was her husband’s wish that his remains be cremated.

Ambassador Soliven is scheduled to return to Manila at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday with the urn containing her husband’s ashes. Arrival honors will be provided for Soliven at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) by the Philippine National Police (PNP), and escorted all the way to Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, where Soliven will lie in state. A Mass will be held immediately after arrival honors at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Mortuary at the St. Ignatius Cathedral in Camp Aguinaldo.

Masses will be held nightly at 8 p.m. for the duration of the wake. Final necrological rites for Soliven will be held on Friday, starting with a Mass at 8:00 a.m. Interment will follow immediately at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio. The Soliven family has asked that donations to The STAR’s Operation Damayan be given in lieu of flowers.

More on http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200611260404.htm