Ex-star managing editor Antonio Katigbak, 77

MANILA, Philippines — Antonio Katigbak, former managing and business editor of The STAR, died on Monday at his home in BF Homes, Parañaque. He was 77.

Katigbak, former chairman of the Tuesday Club, served The STAR from 1993 until his retirement in 2012.

The cause of his death was unknown, but he had been in poor health since suffering from a stroke in October 2011.

The youngest of four brothers, Katigbak first worked as a sub-editor for The Fookien Times, which was run by Go Puan Seng.

It was at The Fookien Times where he met Go’s eldest daughter Betty Go-Belmonte, who founded The STAR along with Max Soliven.

After a brief stint at The Times, Katigbak joined San Miguel Corp. and later Philex Mining as a PR executive.

He was on his way up the executive ladder when he migrated to the United States in the mid-1980s.

The US was undergoing recession when Katigbak arrived. Still, he decided to stay and worked hard for five years before returning home.

Upon his return, he worked briefly for the Atlas Mining before Belmonte invited him to join The STAR, where he spent the “best years of his life.”

Katigbak came from a family of journalists. His father Paul worked for the Chicago Daily News for six years after graduating from the Medill School of Journalism of the Northwestern University.

Paul also worked for several Manila newspapers before he joined the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Katigba’s brother Jose was bureau chief and chief correspondent of Reuters for 40 years.

Jose has covered wars and social upheavals in various parts of the world.

Katigbak is survived by his wife Monique, daughter Michelle, contributing writer of the Lifestyle section at The STAR, son-in-law Nino Alejandro and granddaughter Isabella.

The family has arranged a short service after cremation at the La Funeraria Pa’s Jacinto Room in Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Parañaque.

Viewing will be from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. today.