Remembering Virgilio

Remembering Virgilio


I read this Monday, September 8, 2008, 8 p.m., at the "Parangal-Paalam" for the late Virgilio Q. Pantaleon, by the Philippine Chapter, International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Christ the King Church, Quezon City.



Virgilio Q. Pantaleon, noted PR practitioner, former newsman and Press Undersecretary in the Philippines, passed away 6th September. He will be missed by many for his leadership, learning and great kindness. This is how I remember him.

I will miss Virgilio because he was a good man. I could say Virgilio was brilliant, which he was, but so what, PR is awash with brilliant men! A good man makes you feel good in his presence. A good man glows, he looks you in the eye, and without a word, he tells you he is there for you. Years ago, I came to Virgilio-- somebody was giving me a bit of trouble, and if I was not able to do anything about it. I and a lot of other people were going to be in a state of embarrassment. Virgilio said, don't worry. In 24 hours, he fixed my problem. Once he came to my office, and said, come on let's talk, and he gave me and my wife a beautiful rosary, from one of his travels. Virgilio glowed; when he smiled, he beamed with that gentle but upright spirit. In this business that we are in, he once said to me, you meet people who are not so good--actually he used a stronger word-- but don't mind them-- always stand for what you believe in.

During his last months, when he was still able to go to work, twice or thrice, he called- Oh, I just wanted to tell you... He would always say thank you, okay, ang galing nu'n... And I would wonder, would I be able to do that, think of others when you are sick? Virgilio was a cultured man. He loved Beethoven, and the opera. He said, look up Gustav Mahler. Virgilio had a friend in Jakarta, who knew him from Caltex days, and he would always ask about Virgilio. Now he will be saddened to know that his friend has passed on. Joy asked me to say something about the PR book. I'll tell you something-- we did it for PR, but we did it for Virgilio. He had begun to ail when we thought of that book, and we said, let them tell their stories.

The Ecclesiastes tells us something about a faithful friend, which Virgilio was. "

A faithful friend is something beyond price,
there is no measuring his worth
A faithful friend is the elixir of life
And those who fear the Lord will find one,
Whoever fears the Lord makes true friends
For as a man is, so is his friend."


What a joy it was to have a good man amongst us, and a true and faithful friend! Honored is the beautiful wife, Virginia, who loved him and cared for him, and blessed are the children on whom he lavished his labors and affections. Rest, gentle friend, in the embrace of our Lord, the Father Whom you trusted and loved.