Maria Editha Regalado, 63

MARIA EDITHA REQUINA REGALADO, 63, a reporter and correspondent for The Philippine Star, passed away on September 9, after struggling with health issues. 

A Davao-based senior reporter, Regalado covered politics and local governance in Mindanao for The Philippine Star from 2000 to March 2023. Her Pilipino Star Ngayon column, Durian Shake, discussed political and social developments in the Mindanao region. 

She was named Journalist of the Year for Mindanao by the Rotary Club Manila chapter in 1999, an honor recalled by former SunStar Davao columnist Henrylito Tacio posting on Facebook about Regalado’s extensive career. Tacio also recalled meeting Regalado in the 1980s when she worked as a reporter for Ang Peryodiko Dabaw, now the SunStar Davao. 

Tributes from fellow journalists who knew her were published in the SunStar: 

Veteran Mindanao journalist and author of “Beneath the Badge “ Edith Caduaya described Regalado on Facebook as the “epitome of a woman of strength,” as a proud mother to her children and a dedicated journalist. Also from her post: “We knew that behind every question was a journalist who cared, who wanted to know, and who never settled for less. . . You showed us not only the journalist, but the woman behind the stories: strong, determined, loving and resilient.” 

 Ralph Lawrence G. Llemit wrote in an article: “Regalado is remembered by colleagues as a respected figure in Davao journalism whose work and presence left a lasting impact on the local media community.”