(Veteran
journalist and longtime Hong Kong resident Juanito C. Concepcion passed away in
the Philippines on Aug. 3 from a heart attack. Jun was known to many in Hong
Kong for his easy smiles, sharp wit and generosity, especially towards Filipino
migrant workers. He worked for various media organizations including Hong Kong Standard (now The Standard), Hong Kong Economic Journal and Bagwis, the Filipino community newspaper he co-founded and edited. Though he
died early, Jun will long be remembered for his contribution to journalism and
a life dedicated to helping his fellow migrant workers. Below is a write-up on
Jun’s life and work by a friend and fellow journalist, Rosa Ocampo, as well as
tributes from former colleagues and a retired labor attache who shares his
passion for migrant advocacy and government accountability – Ed)
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| Jun spent more than half his life in Hong Kong |
By Rosa Ocampo
Journalist Juanito C. Concepcion, Jr., well-known for his
hard-hitting political commentaries as much as for his decades of writing
about, and helping, overseas Filipino workers, died unexpectedly of a heart
attack on August 3. He was 66.
Jun is survived by his wife Malou, their children Jessamine
and Jericho, and his four siblings who he has remained close to despite the
geographic divide.
Several months ago, Jun left Hong Kong for good to start a
new life in the Philippines with myriads of ideas to help uplift OFWs and the
downtrodden, including setting up a nonprofit and an e-book for them.
But this did not mean he had given up on things he loved
doing. His weekly column at the Manila Bulletin touched on migration and OFWs.
He was also about to start writing for a Hong Kong-based shipping publication
this month.
Older brother Ferdie, who accompanied Jun to explore
agri-business opportunities in Bacolod last week, said Jun’s goal, among
others, was to help the farmers transport their produce seamlessly and sell
them at higher prices.
But long hours and hard work in the two days they were in
Bacolod took their toll. Jun had a heart attack which immediately took his
life, shocking family and friends who knew him as a teetotaller and a fitness
buff who loved basketball and walking.
Jun studied journalism at the University of Santo Tomas and
worked as reporter for The Economic Monitor and Bulletin Today before deciding
to move to Hong Kong in 1987.
He started off as a reporter, then chief reporter and later,
property section editor at the Hong Kong Standard. He went on to write and edit
for other publications including the Hong Kong Economic Journal and a shipping
publication, and co-hosted a radio program for the Filipino community at RTHK.
He co-founded Bagwis magazine in the 90s, which
focused on the plight and stories of OFWs, mainly domestic helpers, and
informed them about their rights and how to prevent abuses by their employers.
In social media and during his wake (before he is laid to
rest later today, Aug. 8 in San Mateo, Rizal) friends and colleagues lovingly
remembered him as a gentle and generous soul who did not hesitate to use his
own resources in helping those in need.
Jun was a simple man contented with his music, books and
basketball. His dislike for wearing neckties was legendary – this was the
reason he felt compelled to invest in a rarely used clip-on tie.
Son Jericho, who will work in Prague sometime this year,
recalled that his dad had simple tastes and a laid-back lifestyle, yet gave him
and sister Jessamine the latest gadgets and sent them to good schools.
While Jun was gentle of manner, he was fierce and
uncompromising in his political views, especially during the last presidential
election. He and Ferdie were on the opposite sides of the political fence but
respected each other’s opinion.
As a journalist, Jun was hardworking, easy to work with,
and got along well with various nationalities of the staff of the newspapers
that he worked for.
This writer, who was recruited by Jun to work for Hong Kong
Standard (now The Standard), recalled the easy camaraderie at the property
section that he edited. The section was filled with laughter and banter despite
the daily deadline because of him. Under his table were snacks that the staff
frequently raided.
As a migrant worker himself, Jun worked early on to help other
OFWs, especially the domestic helpers.
In her tribute, daughter Jessamine quoted her mom as saying
that Jun had more time for others than for his family. But that was just
because for Jun, the definition of family extended to so many other people,
including fellow Filipinos who worked far away from home.
I became part of his family when I first arrived in Hong
Kong and he took me under his wings. After Sunday mass we would walk here and there, dropping by Statue Square
and at various corners in Wan Chai and Causeway Bay where Filipinos gathered.
Jun’s family home in Causeway Bay became the meeting place
of OFWs during their days off. Some who were fired by their employers even stayed
for as long as a month. He helped them find new employers and accompanied them
in seeking justice for their plight. Spending his own resources and sacrificing
his privacy to help OFWs was no big deal for Jun.
Ferdie said that once, when he and Jun saw some blind
singers at the LRT station, Jun told them to sing at the malls’ food court so
they could have fixed and better source of income.
All these showed Jun’s nationalism despite being away from
the Philippines for half his life. He could have chosen a cushy life but he
opted to share it with others in need.
As Jericho said, as we grieve for his dad, we should also celebrate
his beautiful and rich life spent in service to the country and its people.
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| Jun in a recent trip to El Nido with brother Ferdie (right) and sister-in-law Helen |
Jolly
fellow, serious worker
Jun will always be remembered as a
jolly good fellow with a high level of professionalism in the workplace. His
concern for clear and accurate editing on the newsdesk of the Hong Kong
Economic Journal where we worked together as editors back in 2011, had been
utmost in his mind as a serious worker. But he had a way of making a tough day
at work more bearable by being a cheerful member of the team. He always had a
ready smile for everyone. When differences of opinion sometimes threatened the
smooth workflow, which normally happens in any work organization driven by
deadlines, he would still manage to keep a smile of diplomacy on his face while
dealing with the issue squarely. Jun indicated with his actions that cordial
working relations were more vital for sustainability of the job than to always
insist on having the last right thing to say. Hard for ordinary editors to do
because we were hired precisely to correct the wrong things written by other
people. But there are special editors in this world, as Jun was, who seem to
value being kind to others more than being right all the time. I wonder which
virtue would be more valuable in heaven? That was a good food for thought for me,
too.
- Neri
A. Tenorio, ex-colleague at Hong Kong Economic Journal
Cheerful
and conscientious
Jun was a thoughtful and endearing
colleague, always wearing a smile and bringing cheer to all those around him.
He was a conscientious worker, willing to go the extra mile to deliver the best
for his team.
He had many talents and boundless
energy and enthusiasm that made him constantly seek new challenges, in life and
in work. His untimely demise is a big shock for all of us who know him, and he will
be sorely missed.
- Ravi
Cherukuri, ex-colleague and editor, HKEJ
Great
loss to HK Filcom
We were just exchanging texts a few weeks ago.
What a great and tragic loss to the Filipino community in Hong Kong. Jun
Concepcion and I kept tabs on each other long after I left HK in 2019. He was
like my big brother although he was only a few months older than me. We were
kindred souls, always looking out for ways to improve things and holding the
government to account. He had the mass media as a platform, while I had my
office as mine. He was an indefatigable fighter for OFW rights and welfare. He was one of the few
friends who kept in touch and genuinely interested in what I was doing and how
I could do things better. You may be gone, my friend, but you will be genuinely
missed. Rest in the bosom of our Lord.
- Jalilo
dela Torre, ex labor attache in Hong Kong
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