“.... he was full of humor and wisdom. I have very high respects for him as a journalist. He has an aura around him that bespeaks of respect and love. Kuyang Efren was well loved. Because he was the kind who was easy to love.” - Joan Dairo, Malaya Newspaper, Senate Beat
“Paaam to one of the most respected Senate reporters, Mang Efren.” - Tikya Rafanan
“Your Papa will be remembered by his journo colleagues as Efren, the even-keeled, soft-spoken, kind and magaling na journalist. Hindi kailanman nagyayabang. He will be missed.” - Ruby Clemmons
“Efren Danao showed peace and calmness in the face of death.” - Vic A. Endriga
Efren was born on February 22, 1944 to Apolinario and Tempora Danao and was raised in Lupao, Nueva Ecija with two older sisters, Nelly and Myrla, and one older brother, Ruben. As the youngest child, he was the baby of the family and was doted on by everybody especially by his mother. He was very active, curious and adventurous. He used to laughingly tell the story of the time when he challenged his cousins on who could climb the highest on a kaimito (star apple) tree they had in their backyard. He won but didn’t really get to gloat because the next thing he knew he woke up on his bed with a broken arm and a broken leg. You would think having a cast especially on his leg would stop him from being active, but no! He crawled all the way from their house to the backyard pond and gave his Nanay Orang a hard time looking for him but somehow he didn’t get in trouble for it.
It was in high school when he realized his love and talent for writing. He was a student of Sacred Heart Academy in Lupao, Nueva Ecija where his teachers encouraged him to take up a course and possibly have a career in writing. He pursued this interest by entering a number of school writing contests and winning a number of them. He had a lot of pen pals and his sister Myrla remembers him receiving a sackload of letters and he would relish answering all of them. He also contributed to national magazines while still in high school. He then went on to take up journalism at the University of Santo Tomas, Faculty of Arts and Letters, graduating Cum Laude. He was a member of the school publication “The Varsitarian”, and became a features editor and then news editor. From there, it was just a small step towards the board sheet.
Even then, his career in journalism didn’t start off easily. His first job was as a legman for a reporter covering the Justice Beat for the now defunct Daily Mirror, a sister publication of The Manila Times. He would be asked to buy cigarettes or get coffee for the reporters. He said it was a humbling experience, knowing it was par for the course and he didn’t expect to start on a high level right away.
From there, he worked with the advertising and PR department of a movie outfit, the Nepumuceno Productions, and then as an information officer at the Ministry of Public Information under President Marcos. From 1980 - 1983 he worked for the afternoon daily, The Evening Post. In November of 1983, he started working as a deskman and reporter for Veritas News Magazine, a publication founded by group of Catholic businessman and led by Cardinal Sin.
He started working for the Philippine Star, which became one of the nation’s leading newspaper, on the first day of its operation in July 1986. He worked as a part time editor and a political reporter for the broadsheet, becoming one of its highest paid journalist at his time with the publication. He then moved on and worked for The Manila Times, again as a reporter covering the House of Representatives and the Senate and as an editor. He retired as a columnist for the newspaper.
Efren was well-known and respected by his colleagues and by the politicians in his country for being a fair and responsible journalist who was friendly and was always willing to help the “newbies”. He enjoyed his career immensely, being able to travel for free to other countries like China and the US and in Europe to cover the Philippine presidents and other politicians.
But as much as he loved his career in journalism, he loved his family even more. He met and married the love of his life, Fidelina Espiloy, on January 31st of 1974. They were blessed with two loving children, Irene and Ryan. Irene is now a pharmacist for Walgreens with a son named Joshua and is married to Jonathan Salonga. Ryan proudly serves the country as a member of the US Navy and is married to Shayne Quiambao and has a daughter named Zoey.
Efren was known among relatives and friends as a loving and devoted husband and father, and is fiercely proud of his family. He was famously known for being so proud of his wife Lynn’s delicious homemade food, preferring to go home for lunch or dinner instead of eating at fancy restaurants hosted by famous politicians. He would always give credit to his wife and would even write about her in his columns. He was a very supportive father, never showing disappointments in his children’s mistakes but rather continued to guide them and help them so they could learn from their mistakes.
He had a simple life but was known to be very generous, always ready to help people. He lived with his family in a small two bedroom apartment for the longest time but always opened his home to relatives who needed free board and lodging so they could study. He sponsored a lot of his nephews, nieces and their children so they could finish school. Not once did he expect or ask even for a penny from them. All he asked was for them to make the most of the opportunity given them and to work hard so they could prosper and also help others.
He helped with a lot of projects for his hometown, securing funding to build the barangay hall and other infrastructure improvements for the Mapangpang Elementary School building and the roads.
He could hobnob with the rich and famous, like the Philippine Presidents, senators and congressmen but was also equally at home with the dirt farmers from his province.
As one of his last pieces on his Facebook page that he wrote last year on February 23rd, a day after his 75th birthday, he said he lived a life of happiness and contentment and had no regrets and no “what if’s” and was prepared to meet his Creator anytime.
On January 20, 2020 at 9:44 am he finally met his Creator peacefully after being confined at St. Rose San Martin Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada for a short time due to cancer and heart ailments. He is survived by his wife, Lynn; children, Irene (Jonathan) and Ryan (Shayne); grandchildren, Joshua and Zoey; and his sisters, Nely and Myrla. A Celebration of Life was held at Palm Southwest Mortuary and as his wishes was laid to rest in his hometown in Lupao, Nuevo Ecija.
Efren lived a life of fulfillment, enjoying success in his chosen career and died knowing he was well-loved and respected. He will surely be missed by everybody whose lives he touched.
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