Luminaries pass away
Two showbiz greats bid goodbye yesterday. Renowned film director Mel Chionglo and respected entertainment editor Isah Red passed away on 21 September 2019.
Cultural Center of the Philippines artistic director Chris Millado announced the passing of the acclaimed film director. He was 73.
The two worked together for the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival where the late Chionglo served as a member of the executive committee.
Chionglo’s body of work includes his directorial work on Playgirls, Midnight Dancers, Lagarista and Burlesk King.
Apart from being a director, he was a founding member of the Directors Guild of the Philippines, where he served as president in 2008. He was also once a member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.
The Daily Tribune’s very own Isah Red was known as a dynamo in the showbiz beat. He had been in the industry for more than three decades with stints in advertising and TV production. He also taught in the academe.
He wrote for The Manila Chronicle from 1986 to 1989. He was also the editor-in-chief of BG Showbiz Plus and a columnist for Bomba Balita.
Prior to joining the Tribune, he was with Manila Standard where he served as the editor for its entertainment section for many years.
He was writing his thrice-a-week column, “Simply Red,” since 16 March 2019, and co-hosting Tok Patok (a livestream showbiz talk show of Tribune’s Facebook Page and YouTube Channel) with another industry stalwart and Tribune columnist, Jun Nardo, prior to his demise.
The beloved entertainment editor was honored as one of the media luminaries at the recently concluded 100-year-celebration, “Sine Sandaan,” by the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
He was the president Emeritus and co-founder of The Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors (SPEEd).
He is survived by his siblings Lina Arrogante and Armando Red and their families.