IT was on his 75th birthday last April 21 nang huli kong makausap ang veteran, well-respected entertainment editor-columnist ng Philippine Star and a very dear friend na si Ricky Lo. Nagbiro pa nga ito na ka-birthday niya umano si Queen Elizabeth II who turned 95 years old on that day sa halip na sabihin niya ang mga local celebrities na ka-birthday niya tulad nina Luis Manzano, Nadia Montenegro, Loisa Andalio, Daria Ramirez, Antoinette Jadaone, Rommel Adducol at iba pa.

After his recent birthday up to last Monday May 3, , I kept of texting and calling him up but got no response from him which was very unusual kay Ricky. Kung hindi man niya agad masasagot ang cellphone niya, he would always call back o di kaya magti-text back.

Sina Ricky at Ronald Constantino ang regular kong kausap sa cellphone. Nariyan din siyempre si Manay Ethel Ramos.

About two weeks ago, Manay Ethel called me up para sabihin sa akin na ilang araw na umanong walang lumalabas na column si Ricky. Pareho kaming nagtaka dahil alam namin pareho ni Manay Ethel na kahit nagli-leave of absence o di kaya nagbabakasyon sa ibang lugar o bansa si Ricky ay parati itong may lumalabas na column dahil ina-advance niya ito. He was a very responsible entertainment editor and columnist.

I first met Ricky in mid-70’s through my first boss, Norma Japitana, who was then the Adprom manager of Vicor Music Corporation, then owned by cousins Vic del Rosario and Orly Ilacad and started to get close to him and the rest of his colleagues during their El Oro days in Escolta, Manila.

A kapwa Waray, he was from Las Navas, Northern Samar na madalas niyang binibisita sa kanilang town fiesta on September 8 (same fiesta sa amin sa Borongan City, Eastern Samar) at tuwing araw ng mga patay to visit the grave of his departed loved ones, his parents na sina Vicente `Chaga’ Lo and Remedios “Meming” Fua-Lo, siblings na sina Lolita `Lita’ Lo-Lhuz . Rodolfo `Rudy’ Fua-Lo, Jose `Pitpit’ Fua-Lo at si Aniceto `Nitoy’ Fua-Lo and a niece na si Ivy Lo na sumakabilang-buhay nung June 5, 2016.

Si Ricky ay pangatlo sa walong magkakapatid. Ang isa niyang kapatid ay baby pa nang bawian ng buhay. Sa magkakapatid, tanging sina Susan Lo-Lee at Artemio Lo na lamang na naiwang buhay.

Bukod sa Waray dialect, magaling magsalita ng Bicol si Ricky. Bihasa rin siyang magsalita ng Fookien at Mandarin and very fluent in English. Nag-aral siya ng high school sa Pei Ching School in Tobaco, Albay and took-up AB-English in College sa University of the East.

Kahit marami silang magkakapatid, Ricky took responsibility in sending and helping his siblings, nephews and nieces to school. He was a devoted and caring son and brother sa kanyang mga namayapang magulang, mga kapatid at mga pamangkin hanggang sa kanyang mga apo sa pamangkin. There were many occasions na isinasama niyang magbakasyon sa iba’t ibang bansa ang kanyang mga kapatid at mga pamangkin. Ganoon niya kamahal ang kanyang pamilya.

As a friend, wala kaming maipipintas kay Ricky na kilalala sa pagiging friendly, caring, generous and humble. Mahilig `manlaglag’ o `manlait’ sa mga taong malalapit sa kanya nang harap-harapan as part of his lambing sa kanila.

Although marami siyang mga close friends in and out of showbiz including Manay Ethel Ramos, he considers another friend and colleague, veteran entertainment columnist Ronald Constantino as his `lifeline’.

Kapag may nagkakasakit o namamaalam na kasamahan sa pagsusulat, hindi nag-aatubiling mag-abot si Ricky ng kanyang financial help. Ricky was a loyal friend.

I remember him telling me na monetized na umano ang sarili niyang YouTube channel may may ilang buwan pa lamang niya sinimulan.

Whenever Ricky and I are together, we would always talk in Waray dialect kahit sa phone.

Marami ring occasion na nagsama kami sa biyahe and some are chance trips tulad nung sa Los Angeles, California, Thailand and Tacloban na dun na kami mismo nagkita but were together in some trips sa Japan, Bangkok, Singapore and Macau.

We were in Bangkok with my family in 2019 nang magkita-kita kami roon with his close friend na si Raoul Tidalgo. Ronald Constantino and I were together in a US trip in L.A. nang mataon na naroon din si Ricky for a junket interview. We got together there. May okasyon pa na nagpunta kami ng Disneyland sa Anaheim, California (na malapit lang sa bahay ng late businessman and concert producer na si Alfonso Chu) kasama ang daughter kong si Aila and Alfonso’s daughter na si Kim. Aila and Kim went for various rides habang kami nila Ricky, Ronald and Alfonso stayed in a coffee shop inside Disneyland and enjoyed our tsikahan until night time when Aila and Kim were done with the rides. Those were priceless moments. Alfonso or Tito Al passed on August 21, 2018 four months pagkatapos naming magbakasyon ni Tito Ronald sa bahay ni Tito Al. That was also the last time Ronald and I saw him alive.

When Tito Al died, Ricky was at the NAIA airport on his way to Los Angeles, California, USA.

Ricky was a green card holder with the help of our good friend, US Immigration lawyer, Atty. Jemela Nettles.

Ricky was also among the godparents of my daughter Aila Marie.

Goodbye, Ricky. Thank you for the good memories and for the friendship.

You will be sorely missed. We love you.