This year’s honoree is Chief Superintendent Cresencio "Cris" Maralit, a former assistant sports editor of the now defunct Philippines Herald, and currently chief for the directorate for police community relations of the Philippine National Police.
Maralit, the only newsman to become a military/police general, will be the third former sportswriter to be honored by the country’s oldest news organization.
The two other former sportswriters previously feted by the PSA, which was founded in 1949, were former sportswriter and Manila Standard publisher Andy del Rosario who is currently the Philippine Ambassador to Romania, and North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol, a former boxing columnist.
Maralit will receive the PSA Special Award from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who has been invited to be the guest of honor and speaker during the Awards Night.
Also to receive their awards from the President are Sportsman of the Year Manny Pacquiao and Sportswoman of the Year Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski.
The Awards Night, which also presents citations to Asian Games medalists and winners in international competitions during the year, is sponsored by Red Bull and Photokina and supported by the Samsung, San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and Adidas.
Maralit, who graduated valedictorian from the Alitagtag National High School in Batangas, obtained a journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas where he was also sports editor of its official organ, the Varsitarian.
While in college, he was cub reporter of the Manila Times and later a reporter of the Bulletin. He was treasurer of the PSA in 1969.
Maralit started his military career as a member of Direct Commission Batch ’71. He had put into effective use his background in journalism in his new chosen career over the next 30 years.
He was spokesman of the Philippine Constabulary-PNP from 1972 to 1992.
He was provincial director for the Rizal Province (1993-1969), traffic management group chief (1997-1998), balikbayan tourist protection unit chief (1993), police community relations group chief (1999-2000), regional director for the Cordillera Autonomous Region (2000) and currently chief of the PNP directorate for police community relations.
He was one of the top graduates in a general staff course in 1992 and obtained a master’s degree in communications management from the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communications.