THOMASIAN LITTERATEUR and former Philippines Graphic editor-in-chief Joel Pablo Salud died on Thursday, March 19, shortly after suffering a mild heart attack.
Salud passed away minutes past 7 p.m., according to his former colleague at the Philippines Graphic.
“Joel was one of the rare breed of journalists who kept plugging away at social issues even after he was no longer working for a publication, finding alternative means to traditional publication to get his messages out,” former Philippine Graphic associate editor and The Flame alumna Alma Anonas-Carpio wrote in a Facebook post.
Prior to his journalism career, Salud attended the University of Santo Tomas as a Psychology student. After leaving his studies at the University, Salud worked as a dockhand at North Harbor before joining the The Manila Standard as a janitor. He had his big break as a writer when the publication, facing a staff shortage, assigned him to cover a supplemental story on lightbulbs.
“It is rare to see a person go from dockhand to newsroom janitor to editor-in-chief of the last newsweekly magazine in the Philippines. That is exactly what Joel achieved,” Carpio said.
TV show host and executive producer Matthew Pirante-Pérez expressed sadness over the death of Salud, whom he described as his best friend.
“I want people to remember him as a beacon of truth, a champion of journalists’ rights and welfare, a teacher, mentor, and most of all, a man of God,” Pérez told The Flame.
Salud served as the editor-in-chief of the Philippines Graphic for 11 years and contributed to various national news outlets, including Rappler, The Philippine Star, The Manila Times, and The Manila Standard, where he eventually served as an editor.
UST Creative Writing Department chair Prof. Joselito Delos Reyes paid tribute to the renowned author in a social media post, writing, “Joel, pare, salamat. Pahinga na.”
(Joel, my friend, thank you. You may now rest.)
Salud was a judge for the National Book Awards until 2023, when he stepped down due to health reasons.
In 2024, his book, “View from the Foxhole: Shaping the Political into the Personal,” was awarded the Hilarion and Esther Vibal Prize for Best Book in Journalism at the National Book Awards.
The esteemed author is survived by his partner, Che Sarigumba, and his daughter Likha.
The wake for Salud will be held at the Holy Trinity Memorial Chapels in Sucat, Parañaque. F
