IN keeping with his simple taste, his family and friends buried him in simple rites, but as a journalist for most of his 83 years, he left a record that is not easy to match. Starting as a deskman at Agence France-Presse (AFP), where he worked from 1962 to 1978, Ruben Alabastro moved on to United Press International from 1978 to 1980, then to Associated Press from 1980 to 1986, then finally to Reuters from 1987 to 2003.

After retiring from wire service journalism, he joined the Philippine Daily Inquirer, where he edited reporters' copies. His work did not always carry his byline, but he was a consummate reporter, a master craftsman and a highly respected world-class journalist.