Jose Marie “Pete” F. Lacaba spent decades moving between journalism, poetry, essays, screenwriting, and translation, building a body of work that has become part of the country's cultural record.
His career is difficult to fit into a single description.
Sir Pete has written about political upheaval, Philippine language and culture, and ordinary Filipino life, while also bringing his words to the big screen through films such as Jaguar, Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim, Sister Stella L., Orapronobis, Eskapo, and Rizal sa Dapitan.
The significance of his journalistic work became prevalent during the turbulent years surrounding the First Quarter Storm of 1970.
Writing for the Philippines Free Press and Asia-Philippines Leader, he documented the demonstrations and political unrest that marked the period.
His reports were later collected in the 1982 book Days of Disquiet, Nights of Rage.
But who is Pete Lacaba, and how did one writer manage to leave such a wide footprint across the country’s media, literature, and cinema?
Read: Pete Lacaba courageous acceptance speech at CCP awards
Pete Lacaba the journalist
Pete began his career at a time of profound transformation in Philippine journalism.
His reportage on the First Quarter Storm placed him close to the events he was documenting.
Rather than simply recording what happened, his writing captured the atmosphere of demonstrations, confrontations, and political dissent.
His Days of Disquiet, Nights of Rage eventually became one of the notable accounts of that period.
The book also demonstrates one of the qualities that has remained associated with Pete's writing: an ability to make journalism literary without losing sight of the people and events being documented.
Moreover, he was among the writers and journalists who opposed the Marcos dictatorship.
Following the declaration of Martial Law, he went underground and wrote for Taliba ng Bayan from 1972 to 1974.
He was eventually arrested, detained without charges, and imprisoned for nearly two years.
His experiences during this period would become another part of his literary and political legacy.
Sir Pete also maintained a column for The Manila Times titled “Carabeef Lengua,” where he explored the Filipino and English languages through the lens of pop culture.
His talent also helped elevate entertainment journalism later in his career.
Sir Pete served as executive editor of the now-defunct YES! magazine, the print counterpart of PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal).
For two decades, he ensured that every editorial page had flawless copy.
Sources: The Philippines Free Press Online, Bantayog ng mga Bayani
Read: Jose "Pete" Lacaba recalls his Martial Law experiences on I Survived
Pete Lacaba the screenwriter
For audiences more familiar with Philippine cinema, sir Pete's name may be more recognizable through the films he helped bring to the screen.
His screenplay credits include Jaguar, Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim, Sister Stella L., Orapronobis, Eskapo, Segurista, and Rizal sa Dapitan.
His creative partnership with director Lino Brocka was a significant collaboration.
Jaguar, which Pete co-wrote with national artist Ricky Lee, competed at the Cannes International Film Festival in 1980.
Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim also competed at Cannes in 1984, while Orapronobis was screened out of competition in 1989.
These films frequently dealt with poverty, political repression, social inequality, and people struggling against circumstances beyond their control.
Pete's journalism and political experience therefore found another form through cinema.
Source: PEP.ph
Read: Beyond Jaguar: Pete Lacaba screenplays worth watching
Pete Lacaba the poet
Along with being known for his screenplays, Sir Pete had already established his writing career as an accomplished poet.
His poetry collections include “Ang Mga Kagilagilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Juan de la Cruz,” “Sa Daigdig ng Kontradiksyon,” and “Sa Panahon ng Ligalig.”
He also published translations of poetry and essays that examine Filipino language, culture, and everyday life.
One of his best-known works from the Martial Law period is “Prometheus Unbound,” written under the pseudonym Ruben Cuevas.
The poem contained a hidden message through an acrostic, with the first letters of its lines spelling out an anti-Marcos statement.
It was an undeterred piece of writing from someone who understood that poetry could carry a political message even under censorship.
Pete's relationship with language then extended outside of traditional poetry.
His 2024 collection Carabeef Lengua gathers his observations on Philippine English, drawing from his years as a journalist, essayist, translator, and writer.
UP Press describes the collection as an exploration of the ways language reflects Filipino culture and everyday life.
Source: UP Press
Read: Noel Cabangon, Cooky Chua, other artists to join music night for Pete Lacaba
Pete Lacaba's enduring legacy
To sum up his remarkable career is to capture a life devoted to words, and the impact these continue to make.
Sir Pete has received major recognition for his contributions as a poet, essayist, screenwriter, and journalist.
These include the UP Gawad Plaridel, which he received in 2013, and the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining, which recognized him for his contributions to literature in 2024.
His work has also received recognition in cinema, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Cinemanila International Film Festival in 2008; and, the Aruna Vasudev Lifetime Achievement Award for Writing on Cinema at the Osian's-Cinefan Festival of Arab and Asian Cinema in New Delhi that same year.
Yet, the clearest evidence of Pete's continuing relevance may not be found in an awards list. It can be found in the artists who continue to interpret his words.
That is the spirit behind Salinawit ni Pete Lacaba: A Tribute—a special gathering that brings together artists and friends who honor his legacy and influence.
They include Nathan Abella, Rey Abella, Joey Ayala, Bayang Barrios, Ferdie Borja, Pat Castillo, Cooky Chua, Waki Ignacio, Leah Navarro, Chikoy Pura, Joel Saracho, and Mitch Valdes, with more guests to be announced.
The tribute takes place on October 10, 2026, at 5 P.M. at My Brother's Mustache/Hive Hotel, 68 Scout Tuazon, Quezon City.
Through the gathering, Pete's work will continue to be related through the artists who have come together to celebrate his contribution to Philippine literature and the arts.
For those who wish to show their support and be part of the tribute, inquiries and reservations may be made through My Brother's Mustache on Facebook or through the QR code provided in the event poster.
Salinawit also offers another way of looking at Pete's legacy, not simply as something preserved in books, newspaper archives, and films, but as something that continues to be performed, interpreted, translated, and passed on.
After decades of writing, Pete's words have reached their fruition in a particularly fitting way.
They keep being read, being sung, giving other artists something to carry forward.
That may be the most fitting way for one generation of writers and artists to carry the torch for another.
Read: Jose "Pete" Lacaba recalls his Martial Law experiences on I Survived