Lito Tacujan, sportswriting icon, 79

MANILA, Philippines — Former Philippine STAR sports editor Lito Tacujan is gone, leaving behind a legacy of journalistic greatness that will forever be revered for his rare gift of making stories come alive through prose written with passion, love and ingenuity.

In nearly a 60-year career, Lito carved a name for himself as a journalist who stood by principles and wrote from the heart. He received multiple awards in recognition of his brilliance but was the first to exclaim that it was never about him, that it was always about those whom he immortalized in his stories.

Lito, 79, started out as a news writer for ABS-CBN, joined the sports section of The Manila Chronicle, worked two years as a junior executive at J. Walter Thompson, was a desk man for the Philippine News Agency and in 1987, became the first sports editor of the Philippine STAR. His journey led to covering five Olympics and numerous other international events, including the Asian Games, Southeast Asian Games and the Masters. Every step of the way, Lito set a high standard in journalistic practices, bringing another Hall of Fame writer Jun Engracia to comment “he did not just cover sports, he did it in style, in language that showed his love for his craft and his drive for excellence in the profession.”

Lito grew up in Canlubang, embracing sports as a spectator and active participant. He dabbled in Little League and tennis but it was golf that he fell in love with. Lito wasn’t just a recreational golfer, he was a serious parbuster with a strong game. At the University of Santo Tomas Lito was literary editor of The Flame and in 2010, was honored with the first-ever Gantimpala Award by the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters. In 2019, when he retired from The STAR after 32 years of exceptional service, Lito was cited with a special award by the Philippine Sportswriters Association of which he was president for two terms. Last year, he was given an achievement award by the Philippine Basketball Association at its 50th anniversary gala event.

In 2023, Lito published a book “Cheers and Tears,” compiling his best works in eight chapters of unforgettable sports memories. In retirement, he continued to write and early this year, authored his final article entitled “The best among the rest,” a commentary of the nation “on the threshold of a dazzling era” with Carlos Yulo and Alex Eala showing the way in a prelude to the annual PSA Awards Night.

Last November, Lito wrote an impassioned revelation of his 15-year struggle with Parkinson’s disease, a 12-day hospital confinement with COVID-19 and 42 sessions of radiation treatment for prostate cancer. “After numerous brushes with mortality, I fear death no more,” he intimated on Philstar Life. “Death has become a buddy by my side every day (and) could be a gift for the living. It would unburden them of the suffering unfairly imposed on them. And I would not wish for it but when it comes, I would wait for that moment when I would be released from my corporeal body to rest forever.”

Last Wednesday morning, Lito suffered cardiac arrest and passed away at the Global Hospital, Laguna. The day before, he played golf and drove his golf cart around the village where his family lives. Lito was found unconscious in his golf cart near the chapel with no pulse. He was rushed to the hospital and was revived. But the next morning, Lito was gone. He is survived by his wife Lina, five children and four grandchildren. His wake is at the Peace Chapel, Heaven’s Park Memorial Gardens, National Highway, Barangay Sto. Niño, Biñan, Laguna from today up to Sunday. Interment will be on Monday.

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