Enrique “Pocholo” Romualdez, executive editor of Malaya Business Insight, died on Thursday at Medical Center Manila. He was 92.
“Sir Pocholo,” who had been with Malaya for three decades, was editor of several dailies, like the Philippine Daily Express, Taipan Magazine and the Manila Times.
A horse racing aficionado, he was appointed commissioner of the Philippine Horse Racing Commission during the Estrada administration.
First stints
His first job was with the Philippines Commonwealth, then the leading Catholic-oriented newspaper, followed by short-lived stints in the old Manila Post and Philippines Herald. He later joined the Manila Times as a sportswriter.
He graduated from the University of the Philippines in 1950 with a degree in bachelor of philosophy (major in English).
He went to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, in 1951 on a Fulbright/Smith-Mundt scholarship.
He was also accepted by the University of California (Berkeley) and Columbia University in New York but chose Northwestern because it also offered a $500 scholarship from the Kansas City Star.
Martial law years
Romualdez returned in 1952 with a master’s degree and worked with then Times publisher Chino Roces until 1968 when he signed up for a job in a government office.
In 1972, he was asked by Johnny Perez to organize the Philippines Daily Express. He spent the next 15 years trying to give a gentler, kinder face to martial law.
In 1988, he got another call from Perez, who asked him if he was interested to work in Caracas, Venezuela, to set up a newspaper (in Spanish). He returned after four months, the Caracas job done.
In 1989, he was invited by then Malaya publisher Jake Macasaet to join the paper.
Romualdez is survived by children Dondi, Ramon, Eddie and Marisu; son-in-law Randy; daughters-in-law Ellen, Maricor and Lorna; and grandchildren Bianca, Jay R, Regine, Via, Nikki, John, Christopher, Cecilia, Alexa, Randi, Kristy and Diane.
Wake and interment details will be announced later.