Jose V. Cruz

J.V. Cruz was born to judge (Court of First Instance) Roman Cruz and Amanda Corpuz Cruz, and the eldest of six siblings. In addition, he had two older brothers from the first marriage of his father. He attended Paco High School and went to university at the Ateneo de Manila and was a consistent top of the class student but eventually dropped out from college. He, however, became the youngest ever Press Secretary Cabinet Member in the history of the Philippines at the age of 28 years old.

J.V. Cruz started off in media as a news reporter and had a short-lived role as Press Attache at the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco. He resigned that post to help in the campaign of President Ramon Magsaysay who after winning, appointed him as his Press Secretary. He later on became a regular columnist at the Manila Times in the early 60's until his appointment as Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany in 1970 by President Ferdinand Marcos. After resigning from his last diplomatic post, which was to the Court of Saint James in 1986, he returned to column writing for various newspapers until his death in 1998 when he succumbed to colon cancer. J.V. Cruz was a ghost writer to many high government officials including three Presidents of the Philippines. He also hosted a television show called J.V. Cruz Interviews, a public affairs special that won several awards as did his column writing that won him Best Columnist of the Year. He was also top adviser and strategist to several Presidential campaigns. J.V. Cruz was often described as a bon vivant and was praised for his handsome looks as much as he was for his intellect, skillful writing, and political analyses. He was read by leaders and pillars of commerce and industry as well as by national and local politicians.

Ambassador J.V. Cruz was married to Luisa Antonio for more than fifty years. She died three years before him of cancer. They had seven children and eight grandchildren.