Columnist, publicist, talent manager and former TV host Lolit Solis passed away on Thursday. She was 78.Her family confirmed the news on social media:
鈥淥ur beloved Manay Lolit Solis has peacefully joined her Creator [on] July 3, 2025.鈥
鈥淢anay Lolit leaves behind a loving family and many friends who will always cherish her memory. We remember Manay Lolit as a feisty and staunch loyal supporter, manager, and friend.
鈥淲e love you, our dearest Manay, and you will forever be in our hearts. Rest well now in the loving embrace of our Lord.鈥 No cause of death was mentioned. The controversial force behind some of Philippine showbiz鈥檚 biggest names, Lolita 鈥淟olit鈥 A. Solis was known for her fierce loyalty. She spent over four decades shaping 鈥 and shaking 鈥 the entertainment industry. Born on May 20, 1947, in Manila, Lolit rose to national notoriety as the mastermind behind the 1994 Manila Film Festival scandal 鈥 a moment that shook the entertainment industry and even prompted a Senate investigation.
But far from fading into disgrace, she weathered the storm, eventually reclaiming her place at the center of showbiz. 鈥淏y nature, confrontational ako,鈥 she once said in an interview on the talk show 鈥淧are & Pare鈥 with Michael V. and Ogie Alcasid. 鈥淢edyo matapang-tapang ng konti, kaysa sensitive.鈥 Known in the industry as 鈥淣anay,鈥 Solis managed some of the biggest names in entertainment and politics, including Senator Bong Revilla and wife, House Representative Lani Mercado, award-winning actors Lorna Tolentino, Christopher de Leon and wife Sandy Andolong, Councilor Alfred Vargas, Paolo Contis, Tonton Gutierrez, Benjie Paras, Gladys Reyes and Pauleen Luna. Her talent for nurturing careers was well known. And so was her candor. During her birthday celebration in May, interviewed by Noel Ferrer, Lolit reflected on her mortality with a mix of humor and honesty. 鈥淪o thankful,鈥 she said. 鈥淎ctually, every Christmas nagpapa-cater ako. Pero last year, hindi ako nagpa-cater kasi feeling ko, hindi na ako aabot ng Christmas.鈥 In the same interview, she joked about outliving her peers:
鈥淚ba na ang batch. Dati sila Douglas Quijano. Bakit ako na lang natira?鈥 Despite her age, she remained involved in her talents鈥 lives. 鈥淗oy, kumuha na kayo ng ibang manager. Matanda na ako,鈥 Lolit would tell them, only to be reassured. 鈥淪abi ni Bong, 鈥楬abang buhay ka, walang kukuha ng puwesto mo.鈥欌 She also spoke candidly about the scandal that nearly ended her career:
鈥淚 will be very honest. Inisip ko talaga nun, finished na ako nung nag-scam ako,鈥 she admitted. 鈥淪hocked ako nung nagpakita ng suporta ang mga tao na hindi ko inaasahan susuportahan ako. Pero hindi 鈥 they were beside me, fighting for me鈥. 鈥淜ahit salbahe ako, meron akong nirerespetong mga tao,鈥 she added. 鈥淪a buhay talaga, pag may tinanim kang maganda, babalik sa 鈥檡o.鈥 Outside of showbiz, she was a devoted animal lover, once keeping more than 50 dogs.
Lolit Solis was also a devoted mother, survived by her two daughters, Sneezy and Sloppy. 鈥 Gie Trillana