Typhoon postpones burial of Soliven

The burial today of STAR publisher and board chairman Max V. Soliven at the Libingan ng mga Bayani was postponed due to super typhoon "Reming."

Soliven’s ashes will instead be brought to his home in North Greenhills, San Juan after the necrological Mass at 8 a.m. today. The Mass will be celebrated by Fr. James Reuter. New burial arrangements at the Libingan ng mga Bayani will be announced later.

Following the Mass, President Arroyo will posthumously confer the Order of Lakandula on Soliven, whose remains lie in state at the St. Ignatius Cathedral at Camp Aguinaldo.

Palace officials said Mrs. Arroyo will give the citation to Soliven’s widow, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Ambassador Preciosa Soliven.

Soliven, whom the President earlier described as an "icon of freedom," would be bestowed the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Grand Officer, 3rd Degree or Marangal na Pinuno.

The Order of Lakandula is an order of political and civic merit awarded in memory of Lakandula’s dedication to the responsibilities of leadership, prudence, fortitude, courage and resolve in the service of one’s people.

The first degree in the order is the Grand Collar or Supremo for former heads of state or government. The second degree is the Grand Cross or Bayani, which is for crown princes and the like.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Grand Officer is among the highest awards given by the President to a civilian.

The award is for Soliven’s "lifelong dedication to (the) civic welfare of society," he said. Mrs. Arroyo earlier said Soliven fought alongside the "forces of enlightenment in the struggle against despotism and wrong."

"Soliven has been fighting for the rights of the downtrodden and for the restoration of democracy and he was even imprisoned for his beliefs (during the martial regime of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos)," Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor earlier said.

He said Soliven’s decades of service to the Filipino people, even as a private citizen, deserve recognition from the government.

After conferring the award, Mrs. Arroyo will proceed to the National Disaster Coordinating Council building in Camp Aguinaldo for a briefing on typhoon Reming.

STAR’s heaven edition

STAR columnist Babe Romualdez said Soliven, with his passing, brought along with him his old portable typewriter to write his columns in heaven.

"Even now as I speak, I can see him putting together The Philippine STAR Heaven Edition. He is getting ready to write his columns, persuading saints and angels to continue looking after this nation," Romualdez said in his eulogy Wednesday evening.

He added that Soliven was also known for his stubbornness, not resting until he gets stories from the most evasive sources — the President of the country included.

Romualdez said Soliven called him from Japan two days before his death.

"Brother, keep the home fires burning," Romualdez quoted Soliven’s last words to him.

On the second day of Soliven’s wake, people came in droves to pay their last respects to the man who devoted his entire life to defending press freedom in the country.

Aside from students, teachers, nuns, and retired military officials, those who came to pay their last respects to Soliven were Supreme Court Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, Sen. Edgardo Angara, former Sweepstakes chairman Manuel Morato, several congressmen led by Ilocos Rep. Salacnib Baterina, Cabinet members, and two

former Southern Command military chiefs, retired lieutenant generals Alberto Branganza and Edilberto Adan.

"Without sounding too presumptuous, I would like to believe that Max wanted to give a message to all of us — that we must let the light of hope shine for this country and continue to burn in our hearts. For he always believed that the Philippines would be able to overcome its many challenges and difficulties, and rise above the mire," Romualdez said in his tribute to Soliven.

Romualdez added that "the light of hope that Max kindled will continue to shine and will be passed through generations to generations but the first recipient of this torch would be his daughter Sara."

During the last few months of his life, Soliven would talk about Sara Soliven de Guzman and how lucky he was to have her for his daughter, Romualdez said.

"Sara, he loved you and your mother very much and I remember how proud he was when you started to write regular column for The STAR," Romualdez told Soliven’s daughter.

In paying his last respects to Soliven, Sen. Alfredo Lim declared: "Max is dead, long live Max."

Having known Soliven for 26 years, Lim said Soliven "has been an inspiration to his peers and the effective motivation among the young journalists of his time, having been acclaimed, as always, to be a prolific writer whose yielded works, as incurable traveler around the continent, were excellent pieces of learning from history to current events, involving aspects of life and fields of human endeavors, replete with his well-researched literary and political doctrines."

Lim, a member of the Tuesday Club to which Soliven also belonged, described him as warm and loyal to friends and strict but considerate as an employer.

"As a journalist he was at the peak… yet, he was human… only his heart was ironclad with principles… principles of goodness, honesty and integrity… principles that were never submissive to any feigned commitment or false persuasion, from those who imposed subservience," Lim said.

Further describing Soliven as a legend in his own time, Lim said he left a legacy of undying love for press freedom, which death failed to wrest from him.

"Indeed, the chivalry, humility and magnanimity of Max, along with his extraordinary accomplishments, as an outstanding Filipino journalist, gained him the prestige of being laid to rest with honors at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Metro Manila," Lim declared.

On the other hand, Biznews Asia’s Tony Lopez said Soliven was able to restore the Manila Overseas Press Club to its old glory when he was at the helm.

"He defined his legacy and wanted others to write it," Lopez said.

He also said Soliven often told him that life is a too short a journey and advised him to make the fullest use of it. — Paolo Romero, Jaime Laude