MANILA — He was neither actor nor celebrity, but Mario Dumaual’s name and face are as recognizable to local showbiz fans as the artists he interviewed and told stories of for over 40 years.

Much so that the story of entertainment journalism in the Philippines would not be complete without him.

Dumaual, who would have turned 65 on July 31, passed away Wednesday morning due to septic shock, his family said in a statement.

He was confined at the Philippine Heart Center for a month after suffering a heart attack last June 5 and had been battling a severe fungal infection.

“What comforts us is he knew that we were always with him, waiting for him, and that home was wherever he felt our love,” the family said.

“We also made it a point to let him know how loved he was by his friends in the industry and even kind strangers who have been offering prayers and help for his recovery.”

Dumaual was the quintessential showbiz reporter who adapted with the evolution of entertainment journalism from print to television to social media.

His byline and extro accompanied many Filipinos who kept tabs on local celebrities and their movies, TV shows, and events — from triumphs to controversies.

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Dumaual helped pioneer how entertainment news transitioned from talk shows and tabloids to primetime television, being part of local TV’s longest-running Filipino-language newscast “TV Patrol” since its inception in 1987.

Along with stories that affected ordinary Filipinos such as crime and consumer concerns, the ABS-CBN news program hooked viewers from the start with showbiz updates.

In the early years of "TV Patrol," Dumaual served as reporter and writer-producer of its hit segment “Star News” anchored by Angelique Lazo and later Christine Bersola.

“Noong una it was a bit difficult, dahil ‘di pa tanggap ng mga artista na interview ka sa camera. Wala pang ganung kultura sa showbiz noon,” he recalled in a 2011 interview.

Dumaual was able to own his reporting and deliver stories with the authoritative tone audiences have come to recognize.

He had already been working in the entertainment press for 5 years when Lazo tapped him to join the newsroom of the just-relaunched ABS-CBN.

His stint with journalism began writing sports stories with the campus press.

Graduating from the University of the Philippines-Los Baños in 1979, Dumaual first worked with the Ministry of Agriculture as a writer before taking jobs at a financing company and shipping company.

He was hired in 1982 by the Times Journal newspaper to report on that year’s Manila International Film Festival.

Later, he wrote entertainment columns for alternative newspaper Malaya and other dailies.

“Iyon naman ang marka siguro ng pagiging mahusay na manunulat, pwede kang mag-adapt sa kahit anong writing. Pero ang showbiz, napakahirap dahil napaka-volatile ng mga tao dito,” Dumaual said in an interview with “Magandang Buhay” in 2016.

From exclusive celebrity revelations to the debuts of future stars — and the awards nights, pageants, and galas in between — Dumaual was there.

His reporting on celebrities also straddled the intersection of showbiz and politics as many in the entertainment industry ran for public office or landed government appointments.

Even after retiring as senior correspondent for ABS-CBN News, Dumaual continued reporting for the Kapamilya news team, embracing digital platforms as the first place to break showbiz exclusives.

He was recognized by his peers with the Joe Quirino Memorial Award at the 5th Entertainment Editors’ Choice or EDDYS Awards presented by the Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors in 2022.

Last January, Dumaual earned his own star in the Eastwood Walk of Fame alongside many of the personalities he reported on.

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‘LOLO MARIO’

Behind the camera, Dumaual was called “Tito Mario” by the younger artists he covered and “Lolo” or “Sir” in the ABS-CBN newsroom — a testament to being an institution in his genre.

Co-workers will remember him as hardworking and generous but also unafraid to join in on fun moments, whether it was unwinding with his crew after coverage or taking part in reporters’ silly activities.

He was also a strict but kind mentor to the “Star Patrol” reporters that followed in his footsteps.

But while an icon in entertainment journalism, Dumaual remained a rock to his family, who called him Papa, Yayo, or Wowo.

He leaves behind his wife Cherie and children Luigi, Miguel, Maxine, William, and Thessa, and three grandkids.

Dumaual’s son, Miguel — who also entered the industry as a TV reporter and later editor for ABS-CBN News Digital specializing in entertainment reporting — described his father as the “super-glue” of their family.

“Throughout all of the challenges we face, siya ‘yong pwede naming takbuhin na tipong sense of stability and foundation,” Miguel said in the 2016 “Magandang Buhay” interview.

The family has yet to announce details of Dumaual’s wake.

“We depended much on him. But he also nurtured us to become strong and able and to be the best version of ourselves,” they said as they announced Dumaual’s passing.

“He made us proud as Mario Dumaual the reporter, but ultimately more so as a devoted husband, father, and granddad.”

Beyond bringing Filipinos closer to the stars they idolized and saw from afar, to his colleagues and loved ones, Dumaual leaves behind a legacy of going beyond one’s zone while staying grounded to what matters most. — With a report from Jeff Canoy, ABS-CBN News

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