Danilo Luis Mariano, former editor-in-chief of ABS-CBN News Online and a veteran journalist and newspaper columnist, passed away last September 16, 2024.

He was 71.

Here are a few facts about Sir Dan, as we called him: 

• - He was a member of the UP Student Council who was arrested for subversion on March 30, 1973, just six months after the declaration of martial law. 
• - Subjected to torture by members of the then Philippine Constabulary, he was detained in Camp Crame for six months before being released after an appeal from his relatives. 
• - A gifted writer, Mariano would set his sights - first on advertising, and then journalism - where he would make his mark as editor in some of the country’s most prominent newspapers including the Times Journal, the Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Diyaryo Filipino, Bandera PM, and the Manila Times. 
• - He was also a columnist for TODAY newspaper and served as a board member of the PNOC Energy Development Corp. 
• - In 2001, he was appointed editor-in-chief of ABS-CBN News Online along with three senior editors - Jose Torres, Albert Lee, and Ray Enano. During his stay as EIC, Mariano would lead the team in several important coverage.
• - He would later serve as Deputy Network Ombudsman of ABS-CBN until his retirement last year.

WRITING SESSIONS 

It was during his time as Dotcom EIC that he would institute weekly writing sessions with the ABS-CBN News Online staff. During those sessions, he would use a projector to critique one or two articles and do rewrites in real-time.

Sir Dan filleted our stories down to their barest essence, advocated fiercely for the active voice, slashed run-on sentences, broke down lengthy ledes. Woe to the writer that dared write that oil companies had slashed gasoline or diesel. (It’s not the product that you cut but the prices.)

One time, I mistakenly wrote that a subject had “enthused” about something. Sir Dan caught that and in one unforgettable session, joked endlessly about it. I have never used the word “enthused” in any of my articles since.

He was impatient with lazy writing, angry when we used cliches and inaccuracies. He challenged us to think how best to tell a story and my goodness, did we learn. Simplify, rewrite, don’t be boring. Some of our best in-depth stories came out during that period; every week we had something new and some even won awards.

Sir Dan loved the craft of writing, loved a story well written. Once, I wrote a story on comfort women, which was chosen for critique during the weekly sessions. He couldn’t find a single thing wrong with it - his highest praise yet.

Other writers were also recipients of this largesse - good work was always rewarded with compliments in the meetings and even in emails. It didn’t have to be an in-depth piece either, sometimes the simplest story written elegantly would be shown to the group. “Here’s a good story. Now do the same.”

Cristina Galang Kuizon, a former ABS-CBN News Online copy editor, said “Sir Dan” was a journalism mentor who gave freely of his knowledge.

“Maraming, maraming salamat po sa lahat ng kaalaman, kasanayan, at payo na binahagi mo sa akin. Hindi kita malilimutan. Requiescat in pace,” she said.

Paalam, Sir Dan. The knowledge you freely gave will not be forgotten. 

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The wake for Dan Mariano starts Tuesday, September 17, at 2 p.m. - 11 p.m., until Thursday morning. Funeral mass and cremation will be held on September 19, 10 a.m.