Tribute to Alecks Pabico, 42: Journalism’s gentle warrior

The Philippine journalism world grew a little dimmer Wednesday night as word spread that our colleague Alecks P. Pabico had passed away. The news came as a shock to family and friends who were on hand to see Alecks personally just last Thursday, during a tribute concert for his recovery. Yesterday morning, Alecks was still in good spirits while exchanging stories with the PCIJ staff who visited him, talking about why he kept scoring 99% either in videoke – adagio (Puff, the Magic Dragon) or allegro (We Didn’t Start the Fire) – and anecdotes from when he became part of the team in 1994. “Alecks and I worked together for nearly 15 years. We spent many long nights at the office, some of them with Nonoy Marcelo. Alecks not only worked in PCIJ, he believed in it," said Sheila Coronel, the PCIJ’s founding Executive Director. [See: Remembering Alecks]

PCIJ board member Howie Severino related his first encounter with Alecks: “It was an odd hour, and I was the only one in the office. The skinny guy with unruly hair told me he wanted to work with us but had not yet graduated from UP and had studied architecture (so I thought, fat chance this guy would work with us); he didn’t tell me he had been editor-in-chief of the Collegian. Modest, typically Alecks. We ended up sharing a lot of good times, reggae music, and late nights in the office. I’ll miss him." [See: Online journalism pioneer Alecks Pabico dies] Alecks had spent the last fifteen years working with the Center. All the same, on merit, hard work, and an unswerving faith in what the Center stands for, Alecks rose from ranks, starting out as training assistant; then “self-taught" resident techie, webmaster and platform architect; acting executive director, multimedia director and concurrent training director, and finally, member of the Center’s Board of Editors. Gentle and unassuming, Alecks was every bit the fierce, noble warrior when he stepped into battle, wielding his pen (and later, his keyboard and mouse) mightily in the quest for truth. – PCIJ, October 2009