Former Tourism Director Manny Ilagan passes away

Photo by Bobby Crisostomo

LOS ANGELES – Former Tourism Director Emmanuel “Manny” Ilagan passed away on July 1, 2024, at 3:39 a.m. at Los Alamitos Medical Center in Los Alamitos, California. He was 69.

Viewing will take place on July 17 at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The funeral service will be held the next day from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Manny is survived by his loving wife Margaret “Meg” Ilagan and children Nicole Ilagan-Hanson and Raphelle Ilagan, Clayton Ilagan, Charisma Ilagan-See and grandchildren Sophie Ilagan-See and Lorenzo Ilagan.

He is also survived by siblings Ma. Theresa Ilagan Martinez, Ma. Clarita Ilagan Gabriel and Belinda Ilagan Maranan.

Ilagan, who also served as president of the Philippine Association of Travel Agents in Los Angeles, had an exceptional and well-rounded journey. He was a community leader, travel writer, church choir member and sportsman.

His hobbies included biking, tennis, golfing, fishing, boating and target shooting. He was a member of the International Practical Shooting Confederation.

His Alpha Phi Omega and masonry brothers affectionately addressed him as brod or brother Manny. He belonged to the Alpha Phi Omega International Collegiate Service Fraternity (Beta Sigma Chapter, San Beda College).

A master mason with the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Mason of California, Ilagan epitomized the three cardinal principles of his fraternity: leadership, friendship and service.

He was a member of the Filipino American Community in Los Angeles and the Press Photographers Association of Los Angeles. He was also the founding chairman of the Philippine Global Media Group. As a columnist for the Asian Journal group of publications, he wrote about travel and tourism, promoting the Philippines as a tourist destination.

Ilagan finished his secondary education at Saint Francis Seminary in Lipa, Batangas, then obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from San Beda College in Manila. He earned MBA units at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.

A devout Catholic, Ilagan was born in Manila on Dec. 24, 1954, to Dr. Rafael Lopez Ilagan and Corazon Vizconde Ilagan of Balayan, Batangas. His parents aptly named him “Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”