Julian Malonso

Malonso was born on October 18, 1923, in Binondo, Manila^[1] to Arayat-native Hilario and Meycauayan-native Marcela Mota. Julian Malonso was the second of five children.^[2]

Malonso studied at Letran College for his high school studies^[2] where he played for the school's basketball team.^[1] For his college he initially entered the University of the Philippines where he took up dentistry but moved to the University of Santo Tomas (UST) after he was approached by Father Agapio, who is the Spanish athletic director of UST. Agapio urged him to try out for UST's varsity basketball team. He pursued a course on education at UST.^[2]

He secured a place at UST's basketball team and played as a center. He was part of the squad of the UST Glowing Goldies that won the University Athletic Association of the Philippines in 1946. At 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m), he was the second tallest player at that time in the country.^[1]

Malonso pursued a master's degree in education at the National University. He also played at the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association^[2]

Malonso worked as a Spanish educator at Cagayan Valley Atheneum, UST High School and Letran College and Physical Education teacher at Uson Colleges. He served as two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association president^[2] and led the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines from 1963 to 1973. In 1997 he was named part of the Letran Sports Hall of Fame.^[1] He also served as the first president of the Metropolitan Basketball Association and secretary-general of the Asian Gymnastics Confederation.^[2]

He was provisional president of the Philippine Olympic Committee in 1980.^[3]