Luis Albert N. Camus, Jr.

Luis Albert Nelle Camus, Jr.

"Luis," "Albert"

PSHS Batch 1978

Birth: September 1, 1961

Death: December 1999

Luis, or Albert to some in his PSHS Class of 1978, was born on 1 September 1961. He spent the early years in La Salle Greenhills, and entered the Philippine Science High School in 1974. He graduated in 1978.

Luis was a prolific writer and a great poet. That was how he started out in the movement, as a writer – in 1976. By senior year in 1977-1978, he was the literary editor of The Science Scholar-Ang Lagablab. He was concurrently the editor-in-chief of Dalumat, the PSHS Filipino literary magazine. His other literary involvements were with the Science Journal and Errata, where he was features editor for both, also in 1977-1978.

Outside campus, his leadership was demonstrated through the Children’s Library and Museum Incorporated (CMLI), a nationally distinguished academic organization promoting excellence in extemporaneous speaking, essay writing and news writing among others, where Luis held various key positions and garnered prestigious awards from 1976-1978.

In college, Luis became much politicized. He was active with the Philippine Collegian and became a feature writer in 1979-1980, during the year Diwata Reyes was its editor-in-chief. This period was right smack into the resurgence of political activism, where UP was a national frontrunner in the move to reestablish university student councils – the key campus organs abolished by Martial Law. This was also the feverish period sparked by national student protest against the Education Act of 1980 -- unprecedented ever since the declaration of Martial Law.

A lot of students were under surveillance then, and Luis was served an ASSO (Arrest, Search and Seizure Order). Luis was an icon for a lot of students, especially as he was articulate both in English and Filipino and wrote well. With his mestizo good looks and intellect, he soon became a campus figure.

He spoke at rallies and was very good friends with Lean Alejandro and other campus figures. He disappeared from the scene in 1981 when he was kept at home by his family after he was detained for several days at Camp Crame. The military agreed for him to serve his ASSO at home.

He did not communicate with anybody for more than three months during his house arrest. A friend close to him planned along with other comrades to break him out of his own home. But when Luis managed to sneak out a phone call to them, it was a short and cryptic conversation discouraging them from “rescuing” him. Luis agreed to leave the country because the powers-that-were threatened to hurt the ones he loved.

When he left for the US later in 1981, the country may well have lost a potential leader who was very committed to a cause he espoused. Plenty lost a comrade and a precious friend.

In late 1999, at the young age of 38, Luis died of a rare cancer called spindle cell carcinoma, one of 14 cases worldwide at that time. His ashes were flown back to the Philippines for inurnment shortly after.

Luis Camus was a special person. He had a good heart. He truly cared about people and always wanted to make a difference in their lives. He was committed to the various causes that he took up in his lifetime. Luis wrote beautifully, whether essay or poetry. He was both funny and serious at the same time.

He was the youngest editor of an American computer magazine published by a large company at the time of his death, where he was much revered and honoured by colleagues who knew him either from near or far. He was truly a genius at whatever he did, and compassionate with whoever he may be. He touched the lives of so many in the short time he had.

On 1 September 2012, exactly on the day Philippine Science pays tribute to its Martial Law martyrs and heroes, Luis would have turned 51.

- write-up submitted by PSHS Batch 1978

Photos

Documents and Literary Works

Articles

an excerpt from My Hero, My Son by Letty Jacinto Lopez

published in the Philippine Star, February 12, 2002:

Jose Luis "Albert" Nelle Camus: Martha, his wife, wrote the following:

"Albert lived by his values and principles. As a teen, he was working in the underground fighting against the Marcos dictatorship. He paid a high price. He was exiled away from his family to the United States. He had many accomplishments, including graduating at the top of his class in high school at 13. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of San Francisco; he won a writing contest at 17 for a masters scholarship in creative writing at Stanford University and held national power-lifting titles in the Philippines. He was a pioneer and early expert in desktop publishing and was the youngest managing editor of the biggest computer magazine, The PC World. Albert didn’t want to be remembered for his accomplishments. He wanted to be remembered for his treatment of people with dignity, respect and love. He was an inspiration. He had so much to give to the world."

In Memoriam: Luis Camus

Remembering a behind-the-scenes giant at PC World

Jan 20, 2000 4:00 pm

"Unless you're a connoisseur of mastheads, you've probably never seen the name Luis Camus. His work as PC World's managing editor mostly took place behind the scenes. For once, we'd like to give Luis public recognition commensurate with his importance to this magazine, and to all of us. Luis lost his battle with cancer a few days before the turn of the millennium. He was only 38.

As Luis's colleagues and friends, we at PC World grieve along with Marty Maxwell, Luis's loving wife, knowing that her loss is even greater than our own.

Managing editors have tough jobs and are often tough to deal with. Come what may, issue after issue, managing editors must get the magazine out the door on time. High pressure--both feeling it and applying it--come with the territory. As a barrel-chested, former power-lifting champion, Luis could have used his imposing physical presence to intimidate laggards. He chose to do just the opposite. Luis's gentle, buoyant spirit drove the editorial process better than any taskmaster ever could. He didn't have to make people do things because, once they knew Luis, they couldn't help wanting to do things for him. Luis inspired this feeling throughout his years at PC World."

--Phil Lemmons, editorial director

(more testimonials in the article - see link above)

Graduation picture in the PSHS Batch 1978 yearbook

Note

The contents of this page are based on write-ups and photos submitted by the honoree's batch mates, as well as information available in the public domain. For corrections or inclusion of additional material, kindly contact the volunteer organizers via pagpugay.pahingalay@gmail.com.

yearbook photos submitted by PSHS Batch 1978