MANILA, 29 June 2005 - Francis Maca, one of the most active Filipino community leaders in Riyadh and an Arab News contributor, died on Sunday Rizal province, east of Manila, his colleagues have said.

Roque Villamil, Maca's co-worker at Alyemni Motors Company in Riyadh, said Maca succumbed to heart attack complicated by diabetes at the East Medical Center in Taytay town of Rizal.

Maca was the founder and chairman of the Pagkakaisa at Unawaan ng mga Organisasyon (PUNO) and the Palarong Pilipino Sports Commission. He was also very active in Philippine Embassy projects.

"I was shocked. He was a kind man. He always stood for what is fair and true," Ambassador Bahnarim Guinomla said. He remembered Maca as a leader who kept reminding compatriots to "always stay out of trouble."

"He's a big loss to the Filipino community in Riyadh," said Dr. Carlito L. Astillero, past area commander of the Order of the Knights of Rizal for Middle East and Africa. "He was also effective in unifying the Filipino community for a certain cause."

Angel Pantoja, an immediate past president of PUNO, said, "The death of Francis is shocking. The last time I saw him he was very healthy and alive."

Pantoja said a necrological service for Maca will be held today at 7 p.m. at the chancery of the Philippine Embassy.

Alex Bello, president of OFW Congress, considered the establishment of PUNO as one of Maca's biggest contributions in the community which aims to unite all community organizations in Riyadh.

"He will also be remembered as the prime mover of the Palarong Pilipino Sports Commission of which games were held in the GCC states of Qatar, Bahrain and Dubai," said Bello, who was a past chairman of PUNO.

Bong Amora described Maca as "a dynamic, respected, down-to-earth community leader in Riyadh."

Amora, a leader of Kalipunang Kaakabay ng Mangagawang Pilipino sa Saudi Arabia, remembered Maca for his views about the importance of savings and entrepreneurship among OFW's "in preparation for our eventual return to the Philippines."

"When I received the sad news through a text message, I was shocked. In his capacity, he's like invulnerable," said Rashid Fabricante, Maca's former colleague in Jeddah. "As a person, he had always strong conviction on what he believed in and stood for," he added.

Fabricante passed the chair of Barya Mo, Buhay Ko, a fund-raising campaign for the resolution of cases of distressed OFWs, to Maca, "who had his way of attracting crowds as emcee of various community activities."

Another community leader, Cesar Saavedra, said he had his personal differences with Maca but he had come to respect him for his intelligence, creativity, and leadership. "I am deeply saddened by his untimely demise.," Saavedra said, adding that Maca "had done a lot of good things."

Maca's body will be at the Holy Garden Memorial in Angono, Rizal until today. Tomorrow, he will be flown to Iloilo in the central Philippines. Funeral service will be on July 12 in his hometown of Dingle. He is survived by his wife, lawyer Evelyn G. Maca and daughter Maria Aurora.