Lolita “Lolit” Solis, a sharp-tongued fixture of Philippine entertainment for decades, died on Thursday, July 3. She was 78.
Known for her blunt showbiz columns, candid social media posts, and time as a talent manager, Solis helped shape the country’s entertainment coverage into something blunt and unfiltered and often personal.
She was born on May 20, 1947, and grew up in the cramped Lardizabal neighborhood of Sampaloc, Manila. A free journalism seminar near National University would later steer her toward a lifelong career in media.
In recent years, Solis used her Instagram like a public diary, openly sharing her joys, fears, and frustrations—including the health issues she battled quietly for months.
On May 20, she turned 78 and marked the occasion with a brutally honest post. “Feel ko na ang pagiging 78 years old ko,” she wrote. “At ang tangi ko na nga lang consolation pag naalala ko na ‘yung mga kasabay ko mas una nang umalis.”
She admitted she had grown forgetful and weaker, and had started worrying about collapsing in public. “Natakot nga ako dahil sobra ang pagiging forgetful ko… halos hindi ako makatayo kung minsan,” she said, though she still found reasons to be thankful. “Pasalamat nga ako actually dahil at my age parang energetic pa rin ang kilos at salita ko.”
But she knew she had to slow down. “Baka bigla sa daan ako abutin ng sumpong, bigla ako mahilo, at matumba.”
Just hours before her passing, Solis posted what would be her final Instagram entry. In it, she wrote about feeling overwhelmed, helpless, and exhausted, but also cared for.
“Buti na lang at ang babait ng mga doctors ko,” she wrote. “Talagang inalagaan nila ako at hindi iniwan. Ang hirap pala ng may sakit. Hopeless, helpless, weak ka. Para bang hindi mo alam where and what to do.”
She saw her condition as both a disruption and an eye-opener. “Pero alam mo naman si GOD, alam niya when or where ibibigay sa iyo ang mga bagay,” she said. “I feel sad, weak, but hopeful.”
Despite the pain, Solis found comfort in the kindness of the staff at FEU Hospital. “Para lang ako nagbakasyon, sleepover ng ilang araw. Pero ganoon pala ang feeling ng nasa hospital. Minsan nga gusto ko umiyak dahil sa self-pity.”
She ended her post with humor, taking a jab at actress Carla Abellana and her water supplier. “Mas mabigat pa ang tubig kesa lagay ng puso niya kay Tom Rodriguez… Prime si Tom, bagay sa issue ni Carla. Hah hah.”
In 2022, she revealed she had been undergoing regular dialysis treatments but kept working, posting, and staying connected with readers.