Obit

Esposo, 64 (Updated)

FILIPINO COLUMNIST William “Billy” Macgregor Esposo died of heart failure* last April 7. He was 64.

Esposo wrote the column “As I wreck this Chair” for The Philippine Star.

He was  head of Cory Aquino’s media bureau in the 1986 snap elections. In 1988, he became the director-general of the Philippine Information Agency. He also served as president of the RPN-Channel 9 Television and Radio Network in 1989 and wrote a book titled “Surviving Chronic Kidney Disease: The Billy Esposo Kidney Diaries” which was launched in 2012. (The Chair Wrecker)

In 2011, President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III conferred upon him the Philippine Legion of Honor with the rank of a commander.

In a eulogy for Esposo, the President described him as a talented writer who always knew how much power the media holds. Aquino added: “In his columns, you could find a reasonable, well-thought out take on most, if not all, of the most controversial and relevant issues in the country. His role was that of a concerned citizen, wanting to bring clarity to others, shed light on what was important, and help where he could. So, he was honest about what he saw, both good and bad. For my part, I was grateful for this: it was constructive, as opposed to those who choose to criticize mindlessly.” (Eulogy of President Aquino for William Esposo, Official Gazette)

*CORRECTION. An earlier version of this Obit incorrectly stated: “FILIPINO COLUMNIST William “Billy” Macgregor Esposo died of chronic kidney disease last April 7.” Mr. Esposo died of heart failure and had complicated health problems as chronic kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, and bone cancer. CMFR apologizes for the error.

Thomas, 92

AMERICAN JOURNALIST and television personality Helen Amelia Thomas died last July 20. She was 92.

Thomas was considered an institution in American journalism for breaking down barriers for female journalists. She was the first female member of the White House press corps and covered every president from John F. Kennedy to Barrack Obama. In 1974, she became the first female White House bureau chief of the United Press International (UPI). She became the first female member and president of Gridiron Club, Washington’s historic press group, in 1975. From 1975 to 1976, she served as the first woman president of the White House Correspondents’ Association. (bio. True Story)

Thomas was known for her gritty and hard-hitting questions. The World Almanac in 1976 named her one of the 25 Most Influential Women in America.

In 2000, she resigned from UPI and was later hired by the Hearst Corporation as a columnist. She also wrote a column for Falls Church News-Press in 2011.

She is the author of  “Front Row at the White House: My Life and Times” (1999), “Thank You for the Memories, Mr. President: Wit and Wisdom from the Front Row at the White House” (2002), and “Watchdogs of Democracy? The Waning Washington Press Corps and How It Has Failed the Public” (2006).

Steven Thomma, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, said in a statement: that “Women and men who’ve followed in the press corps all owe a debt of gratitude for the work Helen did and the doors she opened. All of our journalism is the better for it.” (White House Correspondents Association Statement on the Death of Helen Thomas)

US President  Barrack Obama also issued a statement on the death of Thomas saying: “Helen was a true pioneer, opening doors and breaking down barriers for generations of women in journalism. She covered every White House since President Kennedy’s, and during that time she never failed to keep presidents – myself included – on their toes. What made Helen the ‘Dean of the White House Press Corps’ was not just the length of her tenure, but her fierce belief that our democracy works best when we ask tough questions and hold our leaders to account.”