MANILA, Philippines – Death, just like change, is another certainty in life. Every year, famous personalities young and old leave this world, and 2024 is no exception.

The year saw some of the most shocking deaths in and out of showbiz. As the year comes to a close, we remember them and the legacy they left in their respective disciplines. 

1. Deo Endrinal 

Deo Endrinal. Photo: @pjendrinal IG 

Kapamilya executive Deo Endrinal, who headed ABS-CBN’s content production unit Dreamscape, died on February 3. He was only 60. 

Endrinal was instrumental in producing some of ABS-CBN’s most iconic programs like “Gimik,” “Mula Sa Puso,” “A.S.A.P” and “The Buzz.” He also brought to life programs like “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano,” “May Bukas Pa” FPJ’s Batang Quiapo, “Unbreak My Heart,” and “Linlang.” 

2. Tikoy Aguiluz

Tikoy Aguiluz / Facebook/Directors’ Guild of the Philippines

Renowned filmmaker Amable “Tikoy” Aguiluz VI died on February 18 at the age of 72. 

Aguiluz was the co-founder of the University of the Philippines Film Center, the now UP Film Institute and Cinemanila International Film Festival. SOme of his works include the films “Boatman,” “Manila Kingpin,” and “Segurista.”

3. Jaclyn Jose 

Jaclyn Jose / @jaclynjose IG 

Back in March, Philippine showbiz was shocked to learn the news about the passing of internationally-acclaimed actress Jaclyn Jose (Jane Guck) due to a heart attack on March 2. She was  60 years old. 

Rising to fame in the 1980s, Jose was known for her stellar work in films such as Lino Brocka’s “White Slavery” (1985) and Chito S. Roño’s “Private Show” (1984). 

She brought pride to the country when she bagged the Best Actress award at the Cannes FIlm Festival for her role in Brillante Mendoza’s “Ma’ Rosa.” 

4. Zenaida Seva 

Zenaida Seva. Screen grab from ABS-CBN News / YouTube

Renowned astrologer Zenaida Seva passed away last March 21. Her friend Jessica Zafra announced her passing but the cause of her death was not specified. 

Seva gained fame for her frequent appearances on talk programs where she would discuss forecasts, astrologers and related topics.  She was also a mainstay in ABS-CBN’s early morning news program “Umagang Kay Ganda” where she would utter her famous line, “Hindi hawak ng mga bituin ang ating kapalaran. Gabay lamang sila. Mayroon tayong free will. Gamitin natin ito.”

5. Carlo J. Caparas 

Carlo J. Caparas 

Comic strip creator and veteran filmmaker Carlo J. Caparas finally took the curtain call last May 26. He was 80 years old. 

Caparas is known for putting life into iconic Filipino superheroes and heroines such as “Panday,” “Bakekang,” “Totoy Bato,” “Joaquin Bordado,” “Kamagong,” Kamandag,” “Elias Paniki,” “Tasya Fantasya” and “Gagambino” among others. 

He is also known to have written and directed sensationalist “massacre” films such as “The Myrna Diones Story,” “The Maggie dela Riva story” and “Lipa ‘Arandia’ Massacre.”

6. Former Sen. Rene Saguisag

Saguisag/Senate

Human rights lawyer, martial law fighter, and former Sen. Rene Augusto Saguisag lost the last fight of his life on April 24 at 80 years old. His family however did not disclose the reason for his passing. 

Saguisag left behind a legacy of a true statesman. He was among the most prominent figures who fought the martial rule of the late dictator and later became spokesman of his successor Corazon C. Aquino. 

As a senator, he co-authored the bill on the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials. He was also among the 12 members of the upper chamber who voted against the extension of US access to military bases in the Philippines. 

7. Floy Quintos 

 Quintos 

Showbiz also lost yet another creative gem, Palanca awardee playwright and television director Floy Quintos who passed away on April 27 due to a heart attack. He only 63. 

After earning his journalism degree at the University of the Philippines-Diliman in 1985, he worked as a journalist and editor and even became a freelance contributor to various newspapers like The Philippine Star. He also worked for the Metropolitan Theater from 1983-1985 and was managing editor of Metro Magazine from 1988-1995.

He was best remembered as one of Kapuso reality talent search “Starstruck” councils. 

8. Chino Trinidad

Chino Trinidad

Among the most shocking deaths of 2024 is that of veteran sports journalist Chino Trinidad who passed away last July 13 due to a heart attack. He was 56. 

Trinidad succumbed to a heart attack while he was on his way to a supposed Newport World Resorts with billiard legend Efren “Bata” Reyes and other personalities. 

Apart from being a sports journalist, he was remembered for having served as commissioner of the defunct Philippine Basketball League. 

He was also a commentator and sports analyst for GMA Sports. 

9. Manny Castañeda 

 Castañeda / Facebook 

Veteran actor/director Manny Castañeda died of complications from heart and kidney ailments on June 30. He was 69. He starred in ‘Oro, Plata, Mata’, ‘Relasyon’, ‘Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas’.

He also became popular with comedy and gay roles both on television and movies.

10. Lily Monteverde 

Monteverde

Movie mogul “Mother Lily” Monteverde, known for having produced some of the most iconic movies and having been responsible for giving rise to the careers of many of today’s biggest stars, died last August 4. She was 85. 

She is the matriarch of the film production company Regal Entertainment known to have produced films such as  “Scorpio Nights,” “Shake, Rattle, & Roll,” “Relasyon,” “Mano Po,” among others.

She also launched the careers of stars she called “Regal babies” such as  “Regal Babies,” such as Alma Moreno, Gabby Concepcion, William and Albert Martinez, Snooky Serna, Dina Bonnevie, Ruffa Gutierrez and the Diamond Star Maricel Soriano.

11. David Charlton

David Chartlton / David’s Salon FB 

David Charlton, founder and CEO of the renowned salon chain in the country, David’s Salon, died on October 29. He was 69. 

Born in Sunderland, in Tyne and Wear, England in 1955, Charlton came to the Philippines in 1978 and opened the first David’s Salon in Cubao, Quezon City in 1989.

12. Maita Sanchez 

Former Pagsanjan, Laguna Mayor Maita Sanchez

Former actress and Pagsanjan, Laguna Mayor Maita Sanchez, wife of former Laguna Governor ER Ejercito, died after a battle with endometrial cancer. She was 55. 

Ejercito announced her passing in a Facebook post. Sanchez served as Pagsanjan mayor for nine years from 2010 to 2019. 

Before she entered politics, she appeared in a few movies back in the ‘80s through the ‘90s like “Epifanio Ang Bilas Ko: NB-Eye” (1995) and the Fernando Poe Jr. movie “Pagbabalik ng Probinsyano” (1998).