BY JOSE PAOLO DELA CRUZ
Society columnist Maurice Arcache, author of well-loved columns in PeopleAsia, The Philippine STAR and a slew of other respected publications, reportedly passed away today in his sleep.
Friends of Maurice flocked to social media after news of his passing circulated online today. Known for popularizing such iconic terms of endearment as ‘palangga’ and ‘dahling,’ through his “My lips are sealed… sometimes” column in The Philippine STAR and “My Lips are unsealed… oft-times” column in PeopleAsia, Maurice is remembered by many, not just for his unforgettable stories from the social, diplomatic and lifestyle circles, but for his kindness and humor that extended well beyond the pages.
PeopleAsia editor-in-chief Joanne Rae Ramirez, who edited Maurice’s column in The Philippine STAR for almost two decades, said: “He was a true arbiter of pedigree. He created a whole new vocabulary for those riveted by the lives of the rich and famous and coined such lines as ‘socialists and socialites’ in the party, plus ‘present were the who’s who and the who’s that?!’”
She continued: “Through his column, he ticked the boxes of who were in the crème de la crème. By even just mentioning your name in his column in those days, he ticked your box, and many were in seventh heaven for it!”
STAR columnist and food writer Pepper Teehankee, Maurice’s friend of 30 years, also talked about the many trips they had taken together. “He doesn’t really like eating but he would always come with me to restaurants because he doesn’t like the idea of a friend eating alone in a foreign country. We would spend hours in drug stores and groceries, like when we were in Munich, when he asked me to buy more of my favorite sausages since he had space in his luggage that I could use to bring them home,” shared Pepper.
Even when they weren’t together, Maurice remained a thoughtful friend. “Before Krispy Kreme was launched in the Philippines, Maurice would hand carry two boxes for me whenever he visited New York, simply because he knew how much I loved the doughnuts when we had it there in one of our trips,” added Pepper.
Fellow journalist Tanya Lara also honored Maurice by posting that the latter had been very kind to her, even when she was just starting out in the industry. “He was very kind to me. Whenever we were traveling together, he would give me medicines from [literally] his tool box of medicines!” she shared to PeopleAsia fondly.
The son of former Bukidnon Gov. Joseph Arcache and his wife Mary, Maurice was, indeed, to the manor born. And it was in those same circles that he would grow into an icon, as he wielded his pen and paper to write inside stories on the most exclusive parties and gatherings, with a flourish of his inimitable humor.
Aside from his printed works, Maurice, as many millennials and Gen Xers would remember, also teamed up with fellow society columnist Johnny Litton for the late night television show Oh! No! It’s Johnny. “We gave him his own segment called ‘Arcachat,’ and it was patok! (a hit!) He would talk about things like table manners, and a lot of people were not aware about things like not getting the bread of your seatmate. I think Maurice should still do something like this now. More young people today should learn from Maurice,” Johnny told PeopleAsia in 2016.
