June Emelie Keithley-Castro (March 10, 1947 – November 24, 2013) was a Filipina

actress An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

and

broadcast journalist Broadcast journalism is the field of news and journals which are broadcast by electronic methods instead of the older methods, such as printed newspapers and posters. It works on radio (via air, cable, and Internet), television (via air, cable, ...

Early life

Castro was born to a Cebuano mother and an American father. She studied at St. Paul College, where she was mentored by James B. Reuter. She married broadcaster Angelo Castro Jr. in 1973 and the couple had three children: Diego, an actor and anchor of

UNTV UNTV (currently known as UNTV Networks) is the flagship Philippine television network of the Progressive Broadcasting Corporation (known on air as UNTV-PBC), together with Breakthrough and Milestones Productions International (known on air as ...

, Gabriella, and Angelica.

Acting career

Prior to becoming a journalist, Castro had a television and film career. She was part of the cast in the defunct

ABS-CBN ABS-CBN is a leading Philippine media and content company. It serves as the flagship media brand of ABS-CBN Corporation, a subsidiary of Lopez Holdings Corporation. Once the country's largest free-to-air television network, ABS-CBN has since ...

comedy-gag show ''

Super Laff-In ''Super Laff-In'' is a Philippine television sketch comedy show broadcast by ABS-CBN. Originally directed by Bert de Leon. The series is based of American television series ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In''. It aired from February 1, 1969 to Septe ...

'' from 1969 until 1972. She appeared in several films, including ''Durog'' (1971), and ''Lunes, Martes, Miyerkules, Huwebes, Biyernes, Sabado, Linggo'' (1976).

People Power Revolution

During the

People Power Revolution The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, were a series of popular Demonstration (people), demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a ...

in late February 1986, Keithley continued her broadcasts at the radio station booth of

DZRJ-AM DZRJ (810 AM) Radyo Bandido is a radio station owned and operated by Rajah Broadcasting Network through its licensee Free Air Broadcasting Network, Inc. Its studio is located at the 2nd Floor, Ventures I Building, Makati Avenue corner Gener ...

in Santa Mesa, Manila where she, along with Father James Reuter, Felino Interia, and Charlie Frejas, set up ''Radyo Bandido'', which was an alternative source for news on the uprising after government troops destroyed the transmitter of

Church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...

-owned Radio Veritas on 23 February. As soldiers failed to discover their whereabouts despite proximity to Malacañang Palace, Radyo Bandido helped sustain momentum for the revolt that ultimately toppled the dictatorship of

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. (September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino lawyer, politician, dictator, and Kleptocracy, kleptocrat who served as the tenth president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled the c ...

on 25 February.

Illness and death

In 2009, Castro was diagnosed with

breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...

and told she had three years to live. She died, aged 66, on November 24, 2013, at St. Luke's Medical Center,

Quezon City Quezon City (, ; ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read and pronounced in Filipino language, Filipino as Kyusi), is the richest and List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 c ...

Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila ( ), commonly shortened to Metro Manila and formally the National Capital Region (NCR; ), is the capital region and largest List of metropolitan areas in the Philippines, metropolitan area of the Philippines. Located ...

. Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda announced her death on Philippine television. Her wake was held at Saint Ignatius of Loyola Military Cathedral inside

Camp Aguinaldo Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo (CGEA; formerly Camp Murphy), also known as Camp Aguinaldo, is the site of the general headquarters (GHQ) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). It is located in Quezon City along EDSA, a major thoroughfare ...

Affiliations

Castro hosted a religious program called "''The Woman Clothed with the Sun''".

Awards

Corazon Aquino María Corazón "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipino politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines and the first woman president in the country, from Presidency of Corazon ...

conferred Castro with the

Philippine Legion of Honor The Philippine Legion of Honor (; ) was established by President Manuel Roxas, through Philippine Army Circular No. 60 dated July 3, 1947. The Philippine Legion of Honour, Honor was patterned after the Legion of Merit of the United States of Amer ...

, making her a

reservist A reservist is a person who is a member of a military reserve force. They are otherwise civilians, and in peacetime have careers outside the military. Reservists usually go for training on an annual basis to refresh their skills. This person ca ...

in the

Armed Forces of the Philippines The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) () are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Philippine Army, Army, the Philippine Air Force, Air Force, and the Philippine Navy, Navy (including the P ...

with the rank of

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

. In 2013, she and Reuter were given a plaque of recognition and the Spirit of EDSA Award at the 27th anniversary of the People Power Revolution.

In popular culture

Keithley was portrayed by Odette Khan in the 1988 Australian television film '' A Dangerous Life'', in a scene depicting her role in Radyo Bandido during the People Power Revolution.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Keithley, June 1947 births 2013 deaths Mass media people from Manila Filipino film actresses Filipino people of American descent Filipino television actresses Deaths from breast cancer in the Philippines Roman Catholic activists Burials at the Loyola Memorial Park Filipino women television journalists Actresses from Manila