Howie Severino’s new book highlights the importance of remembering

To contemporary TV audiences, Howie Severino is a trusted face delivering insightful documentaries for “i-Witness” and a longtime pillar of GMA News.

Decades before becoming a beloved Kapuso, Howie taught at the Ateneo de Manila High School after his studies abroad. He started his journalism career as a newspaper reporter in 1988 and co-founded the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ). Today, he is able to connect with a younger demographic that spends much of their time scrolling on their phones.

The younger audience was initially whom Howie had in mind for his newest book, People I Knew: And Some I Didn’t But Wrote About Them Anyway. Published by UST Publishing House, the book was launched earlier this month at the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF).

“Maybe my audience was just my followers, the people who read what I write on Facebook. That was my original audience,” Howie said.

The book author with fellow ‘i-Witness’ host Atom Araullo, who serves as program host during the launch.

People I Knew is his first book in two decades and features profiles of individuals Howie has written about — people he admired and who have since passed away.

“I’ve written about them before. Sometimes, I am just moved to write about people. These are people I want remembered because they had an impact on me, and I felt they had a significance beyond their relationship to me.”

Broadcaster Mike Enriquez, Howie’s late colleague, is one of those featured in the book. Before he became known for his distinct voice and trademark “Excuse me po!,” Mike was a radio disc jockey with the moniker Baby Michael. He would go on to become one of the country’s icons when it came to delivering the news.

Former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay, whom Howie never got to meet, also gets a chapter. “I wrote about him because he was considered an honest president. Sad to say, he seems to have been forgotten and isn’t well-known to the current generation. I think he should be remembered for his example and integrity.”

Howie with (from left) Atom, former director of UST Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo, Howie’s wife Ipat Luna, GMA Public Affairs SVP Nessa Valdellon, Kara David and Athena Apolinario, the daughter of the late Kapuso reporter Cesar Apolinario.

Howie also wrote about basketball icon Kobe Bryant. “My son idolized him. When Kobe died, I reflected on him. Beyond being a great basketball player, he was a great father. I harbor no dreams of becoming a great basketball player, but I dream of being a great father. That’s what he meant to me.”

Legendary actress Nora Aunor is also featured for helping to break the color barrier at a time when the ideal was tall and mestiza. “I never met her, but I wrote about her because she made me admire moreno complexions. In our history, famous celebrities were usually fair-skinned mestizas. Nora Aunor broke that barrier against colorism. She made me and many others proud of our appearance. While many reflected on her show business contributions when she died, few mentioned her role in our decolonization. Nora contributed to decolonization, which I felt was underappreciated.”

The 2026 Manila International Book Fair crowd at the unveiling of Howie’s book.

Howie also profiled victims of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs to combat public desensitization. He recalled researching on a disabled victim whose killers mocked him before he was gunned down, as well as a woman killed while kneeling next to a half-finished meal of sardines and watermelon. “In a death row execution, convicts are given a chance to finish their last meal; in the drug war, there was no such opportunity,” Howie said. “Thousands were killed, and most are forgotten and anonymous. I chose to profile a few to represent what happened to many.”

Howie developed a respect for book publishers as he experienced the work that goes behind putting together a book. This included rigorous copy editing, fact-checking and photo sourcing.

“Searching for photos was a big challenge because I wanted at least one photo per chapter. I had to ask relatives of the subjects, research online, find high-resolution copies, identify photographers and ask permission. It was a very long process,” he said.

Ultimately, Howie hopes the printed word will survive those merely posted on social media. “Filipinos have a weak collective memory. We repeat mistakes because we don’t look back or remember enough. I just want readers to cherish the memories of these people. I just want them to be remembered.”