Obit

Neal H. Cruz, 85

CMFR File Photo / Lito Ocampo

Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) columnist Neal H. Cruz, died Tuesday, July 28, due to a head injury. He was 85.

According to an article by PDI, Cruz slipped in the bathroom and hit his head. He was taken to St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City to be treated. Two days later, however,  fresh bleeding was discovered by  doctors. (“Neal H. Cruz, veteran journalist, press freedom fighter; 85,” Philippine Daily Inquirer, July 28, 2015). Cruz was a columnist for PDI at the time of his death. His last column was published July 17.

Cruz’s journalism career spanned six decades. He was editor and columnist of several dailies, which included The Manila Chronicle, The Philippine Daily Globe, and The Daily Tribune. He was also managing editor and columnist of the Philippines Daily Express. Before the martial law years, Cruz was also a Malacañang reporter, and later on managing editor and columnist of the Evening News.

Cruz was also literary editor of This Week Magazine. Prior to his career in the media, while a student Cruz was managing editor of The Varsitarian, the University of Santo Tomas’ official student newspaper. (“PDI columnist Neal H. Cruz dies,” ABS-CBNnews.com, July 28, 2015)

Cruz was also a two-time president of the National Press Club of the Philippines. He was  the founding chair of Samahang Plaridel, an association of media practitioners and communications specialists organized by veteran journalists in 2003. He also co-founded the weekly Kapihan sa Manila Hotel media forum during the martial law years together with the late Pat Gonzales, the Manila Bulletin’s former editor-in-chief. (“Neal Cruz, veteran journalist, 85,” The Philippine Star, July 29, 2015)

Cruz is survived by his wife Marina; his children Doris, Dennis, Desiree, and Dinna; his granddaughters Isadora Lyanne and. Ma. Ysabella.

Anzac Pikia, 35

New Zealand TV journalist Anzac Pikia died Sunday, July 26, after suddenly collapsing at a café in Rotorua. The cause of his death was still uncertain. He was 35.

Pikia had been in broadcasting for nearly 20 years, working for Te Kāea on Maori TV, and later on with Television New Zealand’s Maori language news program Te Karere on TV1 as a presenter and producer. (“Te Karere presenter Anzac Pikia dies suddenly in Rotorua,” Stuff.co.nz, July 26, 2015)

Pikia was a fluent speaker of the te reo Māori, and was one of the few in the broadcast media in New Zealand who use the Ngāti Maniapoto dialect. (“Senior Māori dies suddenly,” Radio New Zealand, July 26, 2015)

“He was a unique person. He was mischievous, he was unpredictable, but at the end of the day, he was always fun,” said Tini Molyneaux, a close colleague of Pikia. “He had his own sense of humor and everybody that knew Anzac would say that is exactly Anzac, because he had a character of his own. (“Tributes pour in for Anzac Pikia,” Radio New Zealand, July 27, 2015)

Colleagues also remember Pikia for “his ability to boost morale in the workplace” and for his “professional mahi” (work).

“His early passing leaves a large gap in the industry. He is fondly remembered by staff at Māori Television, and he will be hugely missed,” said Paora Maxwell, chief executive of Māori Television.