Maria Lolita Arguelles Solis (May 20, 1947 – July 3, 2025) was a Filipino talk show host, entertainment news writer, and talent manager.

Early life and education Solis was born on May 20, 1947, in Manila, Philippines. She grew up in an informal settlement along Lardizabal Street, Sampaloc, near National University, where she attended one journalism seminar.

While some reports stated she studied Mass Communication or Political Science at University of the Philippines Diliman, an investigation by the Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP) into the UP Office of the Registrar revealed no official record of a "Lolita Solis" ever being enrolled there.

Career Solis first worked as a reporter covering the police beat in the 1970s before shifting to entertainment reporting for The Philippine Star. In the 1980s, she also began managing actors, including Gabby Concepcion, Tonton Gutierrez, Christopher de Leon, Lorna Tolentino, Rudy Fernandez, Bong Revilla and Paolo Contis.

In 1995, Solis became the host of the long-running GMA Network entertainment talk show Startalk until its conclusion in 2015. She also wrote as a columnist for the tabloid Pilipino Star Ngayon and The Philippine Star. In 2009 to 2010, she was a judge for the fifth season of the reality talent competition StarStruck.

Solis also appeared in several films such as Lost Command (1988) and My Kontrabida Girl (2012). She also appeared in television series such as Daboy en Da Girl and Lyra.

Controversies Manila Film Festival scandal Solis was involved in the 1994 Manila Film Festival scandal, wherein co-hosts Rocky Gutierrez and Miss Universe Mauritius Viveka Babajee announced the names of Solis' then-talent Gabby Concepcion and beauty queen Ruffa Gutierrez as Best Actor and Actress, instead of Edu Manzano and Aiko Melendez, who were the actual winners. Another co-host, Gretchen Barretto, later revealed the scam, and accused Solis and Annabelle Rama as masterminds behind it. Solis and six others were charged. Solis ultimately pleaded guilty to the offense of orchestrating the scam. She was ordered to pay a fine and placed under court supervision under probationary law.

Solis subsequently stopped attending awarding ceremonies after the controversy, which she referred to as both a "nightmare and the biggest lesson in her life". She also admitted to having attempted to commit suicide at the height of the scandal.

Lawsuits In 1994, Solis sued Gabby Concepcion, accusing him of not paying her commissions and related fees during her wardship. However, he filed a counterclaim and won the case in 2004, with the Court of Appeals ordering Solis to pay him P700,000 in damages and litigation fees instead.

In 2007, Solis was indicted along with Pilipino Star Ngayon entertainment editor Veronica Samio for libel in a P12 million-lawsuit by actors Sam Milby and Piolo Pascual after she alleged in her column on Pilipino Star Ngayon that the both actors were spotted sharing "sweet moments" together at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila. The case was withdrawn after Solis retracted her claims. In 2017, Pascual and Solis publicly reconciled.

In 2022, Solis was expelled from the Professional Artist Managers Inc. (PAMI), of which she was a founding member, for breaching the organization's confidentiality agreement. This followed a dispute between her and actress Bea Alonzo and Alonzo's talent manager Shirley Kuan over Solis's exclusion from an event of Alonzo's. Solis also said that she had also been sued for libel by Alma Moreno, which was eventually withdrawn.

Personal life and death Solis was married to engineer-architect Angie Pasamonte but separated shortly after amid financial problems. She had two daughters. During her marriage, Solis lived in Pampanga before moving back to Manila. She eventually resided in Fairview, Quezon City.

In 2022, she was hospitalized. She later shared that she had been regularly undergoing dialysis. She died from a heart attack on July 3, 2025, at the age of 78.

Works

Film YearTitleSource 1985 I Can't Stop Loving You 1988 Lost Command 1992 Kailangan Kita2012My Kontrabida Girl 2015 The Last Pinoy Action King

Television Year Title Role Notes 1974–1975 Katuwaan Sa SiyeteHost Herself 1975–1976 The Star with Lolit Solis 1976–1982 Newsday Segment anchor 1986–1987 Scoop Host 1991–1992 Sine Silip 1995–2015 Startalk 1996–1997 Lyra Marcia Supporting cast 2002–2003 Daboy en Da Girl Manay Charing 2009 Starstruck V Council Herself 2010 Survivor Philippines 2015–2016 CelebriTV Host

Radio TitleNotesGano’n? Showbiz AchuchuchuHostDobol A sa Dobol BStarpok / Istorbo! segment hostStar PatrolHost

References

External links