LOS ANGELES—Veteran newsman Teodoro “Teddy” Cecilio died on Friday (Saturday morning in Manila) after a long illness. He was 72.
At the time of his death, Cecilio was bureau manager of the California-based Mabuhay News Service, which provides news and other stories to different Filipino newspapers in the United States.
He is survived by wife Aileen and children, Theodore James, Joanna, Matthew, Deanna, Paulito, Ronald, Ferdie and Fitzgerald.
A proficient writer in both English and Filipino, Cecilio started his career as secretary to the mayor of Balagtas, Bulacan, in the 1970s before working for We Forum, the lone opposition paper during the martial law era. He transferred to the Philippine News Agency in 1982 before moving to the United States in 1985 and worked as editor in chief of the Philippine American Free Press until 1987.
In the United States, he also worked at various times for Taliba, Ang Perodiko and the Philippine consulate in Los Angeles.