I lost another friend two days ago. He died of liver cirrhosis. He was in his home province in Visayas. His sister told me that she fetched him in Manila because he was already in a really bad shape. He didn’t want to go to see a doctor, he just wanted to go home… to meet his end. We couldn’t visit him because his wake is in a city in eastern central Philippines. I didn’t know he was sick 😥 but I know he drinks regularly—which is one of the afflictions of old-school journalists like us. He was the one who referred me to the custom Marikina shoemakers and told me Blackwing Shoes was one of the best.

We haven’t seen each other since the pandemic even though we had been plotting to have those coffee dates or drinks with some of our journo friends along Manila Bay. Well, it’s my own fault since I haven’t been going out of my home office since the lockdowns. I’m sorry, friend, I haven’t reached out to you in a while.

Another colleague died from stroke yesterday…he was on his way to a coverage at the central bank when he had a stroke inside a taxi. He was declared clinically dead yesterday.

I had worked side by side with these two journos when I was covering public finance and banking. My community is mourning these two deaths since yesterday.

Their passing is already a warning sign—aside from my recent hospitalization—that I should better take care of myself. For my kids.

This is a sad Christmas.