City dads hail Joshua Alim as ‘man of many talents’

By Alex P. Vidal

“This is how memories are made… by going with the flow.”—Amanda Bynes

JOSHUA Alim, Danny Fajardo, Rommel Ynion, Restituto “Agent Kurantay” Jotis, Jr., Rene Monteclaro, Leo Dumagat, Armand Parcon, Marcos Villalon, Teddy Sumaray, Eddie Laczi, Tony Laniog, Bob Bacaling, Ernie Dayot, Fernando “Kapid” Gabio, Danny Baby Foz, Ben Palma, Lito Jimena, Rey Alcalde, Ely Suyom, Jigger Latoza, Bert Mamora (I hope I didn’t miss anyone).

They were some of my fellow Ilonggo colleagues in the print and broadcast media alive and kicking when I was in Iloilo, except for Laczi, who signed off on October 27, 2013 in Connecticut, and Dumagat, who died on April 17 and was cremated in New York.

Aside from being my colleagues or former colleagues, most of them were also my good friends for so many years.

Sadly, I didn’t have the opportunity to pay my last respects to them because of my distance, except for Dumagat, who had resided a few blocks away from my apartment in Queens.

There were times when I thought they weren’t yet dead; that we could still, once again, interact face to face and sit down for a cup of coffee in Iloilo to reminisce the past.

But they are now gone for good. My wishful thinking.

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Back in the late 80s and early 90s as a newsman in Iloilo City, I almost memorized the faces if not the full names of my media colleagues in TV, print and broadcast, especially those from different media outlets I worked with in many beat assignments and unforgettable events inside and outside Western Visayas.

That’s how they became so important to me, once in my life.

I was familiar with their talents, styles, weaknesses, strengths, characters, background and, to some extent, political plans—some of them did make waves in the political arena when they became elected officials.

Many of those with me in all those boisterous but fun-filled press corps activities and slam-bang out-of-town coverages, became my personal friends and extended family.

When I suddenly learn they are gone, it feels like a big chunk of my exciting memories in community journalism is suddenly swept away.

Joseph B. Wirthlin once said, “Some memories are unforgettable, remaining ever vivid and heartwarming!”

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I SALUTE the Iloilo City Council led by Councilor Ely Estante, proponent of the resolution that mourned the “untimely demise of former colleague Joshua Alim.”

Indeed, Pare Joshua was a multi-talented human being. He had a special gift and he could touch the lives of even ordinary people by his sympathetic words for those who are in dire straits and charisma.

Estante is one of the only five former DYFM Bombo Radyo Iloilo reporters who made it to the Iloilo City Council.

The four others were: the late former councilor Armand Parcon, the late Restituto “Agent Kurantay” Jotis Jr., the late Atty. Joshua Alim, and Rodel Agado.

I am sharing the press release recently sent to us by our esteemed senior colleague Limuel Celebria entitled, “Estante, SP mourn departed colleague”.

In its first order of business today, the Iloilo City Council, through a resolution proposed by Councilor Ely Estante Jr., mourned the untimely demise of former colleague Joshua Alim.

Alim, who served the city council for a total of six terms from 1998 – 2019, recently died of cardiac arrest. He was 57.

Estante described Alim as a man of many talents: he was a lawyer and law professor, a broadcaster, realtor, Dangal ng Bayan awardee, and President of the CPU Alumni Association.

Estante further described Alim as a “leader of men with a big heart and helping hand for the poor and underprivileged.

The Estante resolution also expressed the SP’s heartfelt condolences to Alim’s family. He left behind a wife and two daughters.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)