Farewell to "Mad" MAX

Together with
LOUIE BELTRAN,
ART BORJAL, and
TEDDY BENIGNO,

MAX SOLIVEN helped shape my political leanings,
(centered, but leaning just a bit to the left),
made me understand what "tough" really meant,
taught me to question doubtful authority,
and
influenced me to write well, and write fairly.


These Four Horsemen of Philippine Journalism
should forever be enshrined in our nation's history;

if they had not been pounding at their typewriters
tirelessly and fearlessly from Ninoy's Assassination
to the Snap Elections to Cory's Proclamation,

the Middle Class may not have coalesced in 1986
for People Power, and Imelda Marcos might still
be in the Palace by the Pasig.

And I don't believe that's an exaggeration.


Mr. Soliven's BY THE WAY column
became my daily reading habit
for over 20years,

those educating-entertaining-exasperating
MAX-imum length columns,

sometimes stretching
over three pages of The Philippine Star.


My best friend HonHon and I
always talk about how full of himself Max was~
he seemed to have personally met or encountered
every significant political figure
of the latter half of the 20th Century,

and sure,
some of his columns were self-aggrandizing travelogues,
tirades of unsolicited political advice,
or impromptu autobiography chapters;

but one thing was always constant:

Max Soliven's columns were always enlightening,
and always overflowing with concern for the Filipino.





A grizzled warrior, who had seen it all,
trying his darndest to teach the younger generation
a thing or two on the values and ethics of
The Old School.

He will be missed.


Thanks for the lessons, Sir!!