Last Tuesday, Nov. 18, was a painful day for Cebu. We lost an icon in journalism and technology — Max Sherwin Templado Limpag. He was only 49.
For the past two decades, Max was a close friend. Whenever I needed help with tech, he was the first person I called.
When the Palarong Pambansa returned to Cebu last year after a 30-year wait, we wanted something new: a Palaro App. It had never been done before in Palaro’s history.
Who did I turn to? Max Limpag.
With the support of the Aboitiz group — thanks to my classmate Anton Perdices — we made it happen. And we made it happen because
of him.
My friendship with Max began years ago. He was then the business editor of SunStar; his younger brother Mike later became my sports editor. When it came to tech, Max was the one I’d turn to. He built “Cebu Sports Blog” at www.pages.ph. Every article I’ve written since January 2007 found its home there because of him.
My dad Bunny and I will soon be publishing our books — “Bunny’s Pages” and “John’s Pages” — and they carry Max’s fingerprints. He guided us from the start. Without him, those books might still be ideas floating in our heads.
My last exchange with Max was on October 31. He messaged, “John, congrats on being part of Michelin selected restos (Lantaw and House of Lechon)!”
Months earlier, he was excited to speak at a conference in the UK. But he never made it to the September event. “John, bad news,” he wrote. “My visa got denied — puzzling since I got a Schengen visa… Anyway, I’ll give my presentation online.”
Then he joked, “Several other speakers also got denied. I joked nga basin allergic ang UK sa among batch — we were all set to talk about repatriation of stolen heritage. You know the British Museum issue.”
That was Max. Sharp. Unafraid. Always willing to tackle the stories others avoided.
“Boljoon was a rare success in repatriation,” he told me last July. “Plus I located the pre-war retablo of the old USJR church — so exciting.”
He wrote for Rappler. Co-founded InnoPub Media. Helped build MyCebu.ph. He gave Cebu not just stories — he gave Cebu a new voice.
He was a builder. A seeker. A protector. And he loved sports. Especially running.
In 2010, Max helped start the Ungo Runners. What began as a simple Friday night 5K jog grew into a community.
Michelle So, former Superbalita editor-in-chief, recalls: “Credit goes to Max for catalyzing the Friday Night Runs. Through the FNR, Max built a strong community of recreational runners who came from different professions, inclinations and orientations and who became collectively known as Ungo og Dagan. I was initially a reluctant participant but Max being Max egged me on.. Max had this crazy stage of running 15 kilometers home to Mactan after work. Every night. He even filed for a one-day leave to run 65 kilometers.”
That was Max — passionate and a little crazy in the best way. He ran. He wrote. During his running days, he created the website, Ceburunning.com. He inspired. He built communities.
Cebu is better because of Max Limpag.
To Marlen, Dylan, and Lennon, our deepest condolences.
Max, you will be deeply missed.