Beth Day Romulo, long-time Manila Bulletin associate editor and columnist for almost 40 years, passed away on Nov. 11, 2022 at the age of 98. A prolific book author and veteran journalist, Beth had carved a name for herself even after her second husband, the diplomat Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, passed away in 1985. Beth continued, even in the later years of her life, to pen her opinions on articles that were read not only by her avid followers through the years, but also by students and scholars of international relations, history, and diplomacy.
On the website of the Romulo Foundation, where she served as board member, Beth was memorialized as someone whose principal goal is to “attempt to build a better bridge of understanding between the United States (her country of birth) and the Philippines (her adopted country).” “I love them both — and often wish they knew one another better,” Beth said.
Beth is Elizabeth Jane West Feagles, born on May 25, 1924 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. According to the website, her mother called her “Betsy” and by her mid-20s, she wrote under the professional name, “Beth Day.”
“Her family moved to Oklahoma City when she was in her early teens. She took up residence in Manhattan on her own in 1968, after having lived in Hollywood and upstate New York with her first husband, Donald Day.” In her later years, Beth earned an “icon status” as Mrs. Romulo, wife of the country’s most eminent diplomat, public servant, and international thinker, who became the first Asian to hold the position of president of the United Nations General Assembly.
“(Beth) spent exactly half her life — 49 years — living in Manila, choosing it as her home even after Gen. Romulo died in ’85. At the same time, she maintained her flat in Manhattan, a city she adored and also considered home.”
Beth would also prove to be “a persuasive, tenacious, and able advocate for the Philippines, particularly in international affairs, challenging those who regarded her whirlwind romance with the 75-year-old diplomat with suspicion.” She also “demonstrated her love and utter devotion in her lavish care of the General, who proposed marriage just three months after their first date as widow/widower in 1972.”
As a writer, Beth demonstrated versatility and perseverance as she authored 31 books, eight of which were for children. One of the books she launched in 2015 — a memoir — was entitled “The Writer, the Lover, and the Diplomat.”
The book tells the story of her life with Gen. Romulo culled from stacks of autobiographical notes Beth had written during those years that she was at his side while he navigated the world of politics, diplomatic circles, and high society.
“I love to write little notes about what’s happening in my life. Nearly every day, I would write something. Sometimes, it’s just a couple of lines; other times, whole paragraphs. (In 2013), I found a pile of them, 10 years worth of memories, read through them, and I thought, there should be a book in there, somewhere. I just lacked the energy to sort them out and put them together. Fortunately, David Hyatt, a journalist who came to me asking for material on Carlos for a project, offered to help me. And here’s what we came up with,” said Beth during an interview with the Manila Bulletin.
The Manila Bulletin management, editors, and employees say a prayer for Beth Day Romulo today. May her memory live on with the words she had imparted to us through her columns, articles, and books.