TRIBUTE TO KA MEDARDO RODA

CHAIRMAN EMERITUS OF PISTON

6 September 2010

By Prof. Jose Maria Sison

Chairperson

International League of Peoples' Struggle

We of the International League of Peoples' Struggle express our sadness over the passing away of Ka Medardo Roda. We convey our most heartfelt condolences to his beloved family and to all his comrades in Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON), Kilusang Mayo Uno, Anakpawis and all other organizations of the toiling masses of workers and peasants.

All of us grieve the death of Ka Roda. But at the same time, we are gratified and gladdened by his legacy of hard work, arduous struggle and brilliant achievements in the service of the working class and the entire Filipino people. He was responsible for founding and building PISTON as the largest nationwide association of transport workers, especially jeepney drivers, and for leading the most effective transport strikes against the foreign oil monopolies and the puppet reactionary government in the last three decades.

Ka Roda toiled as a peasant at a very young age before he went to the city to become a taxi driver and then a jeepney driver. He became an outstanding leader of the working class and the people by standing up for their rights and interests and daring to fight the Marcos fascist dictatorship. He was illegally arrested and imprisoned on the false charge of rebellion in 1983. In the succeeding Aquino regime, he was also arrested on trumped up charges. He was thoroughly convinced by his bitter experience that revolutionary struggle was made necessary by the persistence of a ruling system that is servile to the imperialists and extremely corrupt, cruel and deceptive.

Ka Roda detested the exploitativeness and oppressiveness of the foreign monopolies, the big compradors and landlords. Thus, he was determined to contribute what he could to the people's struggle for national liberation and democracy. He leaves us an everlasting legacy of resolute and militant struggle, sacrifices and concrete achievements. The people will always remember him, cherish his memory and draw inspiration from his enduring example as a patriot and proletarian fighter. ###

PARANGAL KAY KA MEDARDO RODA

TAGAPANGULO EMERITUS NG PISTON

6 Septyembre 2010

Ni Prof. Jose Maria Sison

Tagapangulo

International League of Peoples’ Struggle

Kami sa International League of Peoples’ Struggle ay nagpapaabot ng aming kalungkutan sa pagpanaw ni Ka Medardo Roda. Ipinaabot namin ang aming taus-pusong pakikiramay sa kanyang mahal na pamilya at mga kasamahan sa Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON), Kilusang Mayo Uno, Anakpawis at sa lahat ng mga organisasyon ng masang anakpawis ng mga manggagawa at magsasaka.

Lahat tayo ay nagdadalamhati sa pagpanaw ni Ka Roda. Ngunit tayo rin ay nalulugod at natutuwa sa kanyang ipinamanang masikhay na paggawa, walang-pagod na pakikibaka at mga maningning na tagumpay sa paglilingkod sa uring manggagawa at sa buong sambayanang Pilipino. Siya ang responsable sa pagkakatatag at pagpapalakas ng PISTON bilang pinakamalaking pambansang asosasyon ng mga manggagawa sa trasportasyon, laluna sa hanay ng mga tsuper ng jeepney, gayundin sa pangunguna sa mga pinakaepektibong welga sa trasportasyon laban sa mga dayuhang monopolyo ng langis at ng mga papet na reaksyonaryong gobyerno nitong nakarang tatlong dekada.

Si Ka Roda ay naghirap bilang isang magsasaka sa maagang edad bago siya tumungo sa lunsod at naging isang tsuper ng taksi at sa paglaon bilang isang tsuper ng jeepney. Siya ay naging isang natatanging lider ng uring manggagawa at ng mamamayan sa pamamagitan ng kanyang pagtindig para sa kanilang mga karapatan at kapakanan at sa kanyang mapangahas ng paglaban sa pasisitang diktadurang Marcos. Siya ay iligal na inaresto at ikinulong batay sa bulaang habla ng rebelyon noong 1983.  Noong sumunod na rehimeng Aquino, siya ay muling inaresto batay sa mga gawa-gawang kaso.  Ang kanyang mapait na karanasan ang nagkumbinsi sa kanya na ang patuloy na pananatili ng isang sistemang sunud-sunuran sa mga imperyalista at isang sistemang korap, mapaniil at mapanlinlang ang dahilan kung bakit kinakailangan ang isang rebolusyonaryong pakikibaka.

Kinamumuhian ni Ka Roda ang pagsasamantala at pang-aapi ng mga dayuhang monopolyo, ng mga malaking kumprador at panginoong maylupa. Kung gayon, siya ay determinadong nag-ambag ng kanyang makakaya para sa pakikibaka ng mamamayan para sa pambansang kalayaan at demokrasya. Nag-iwan siya sa atin ng walang-hanggang pamana ng matatag at militanteng pakikibaka, mga sakripisyo at kongkretong mga tagumpay. Laging gugunitain ng mamamayan si Ka Roda, itatangi ang kanyang alaala at hahango ng inspirasyon mula sa kanyang di-magmamaliw na halimbawa bilang isang patriyotiko at proletaryadong mandirigma.###

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The readers of Arkibong Bayan are invited to click: http://www.josemariasison.org/  This is the authorized website of Prof. Jose Maria Sison.  It has been recently restructured and improved by its editors.  Thank you for your attention.

Biyaheng Tagumpay

by Pia Montalban

Ayaw ko na sa kung nasaan ako ngayon.

Kaya nang mamukhaan ko ang ninanais na destinasyon.

Hinanap ko ang daan at pamamaraan na tutunton

at maghahatid sa akin sa inaasaam asam na lokasyon.

"Bawal tumawid, may namatay na dito" ang siyang babala--

Ngunit hindi takot ang bumabalot sa bawat napahandusay na kasama.

Hindi pag-urong ang naging tugon sa isinasaboy nilang pangamba.

Tuloy ang pagtawid sa mapanganib na kalsada.

Maraming sasakyan ang nagparuo't parito.

May mga barker pang nagtatawag at nangeengganyo.

Ngunit ang nais ko'y makalulan sa sasakyang maghahatid sa paraiso.

kung saan may pagkakapantay-pantay at may dignidad ang bawat tao.

Sa wakas natagpuan ang dyipning maghahatid

sa kabilang panig ng mundong, iilan lang ang nakababatid.

May pananabik sa bawat hakbang pasakay,

palulan sa pagsisimula ng isang paglalakbay.

Ngunit ang dyip ay waring karo ng patay!

Waring isang prusisyong kung kaninong Poon ay alay!

Napakabagal ng pagusad. Tumitigil sa bawat kanto!

Isinasakay kahit ang asong walang malay, nakaantabay!

Umaandar ang oras at ang lahat ng lulan, ay naiinip.

Ngunit pasipol-sipol pa ang drayber na sa una'y nakakabwisit.

Aniya, "walang iwanan sa paglalakbay, kasama..

..kailangang maorganisa ang bawat kanto't maging kabarkada"

Kapos nga naman ang tagumpay na hindi kayo kasama

Kapos nga naman ang tagumpay na iilan lamang ang nakakaunawa

Kapos nga naman ang tagumpay kung kami-kami lang ang makikinabang

maglilikha lamang muli ng bagong uring mangingibabaw, at panibagong tunggalian.

Dagdag pa ng drayber, na sweet lover:

"Gisingin, Organisahin, at Pakilusin ang Masa..

..turuan silang tumindig sa kanilang karapatan, makibaka!"

Ganito aniya, tayo tunay na makakaapak sa tagumpay, mga kasama!

Sama-sama, walang iwanan

nagsusuri, nagaaral, nakikibaka

ang teorya'y isinasapraktika

palaban, makabayan, linyang masa!

Matagalan ang paglalakbay

patungo sa hinahangad nating tagumpay

Matagalan ang digmang bayan

na wawasak dito sa nabubulok na kaayusan!

Note from the author:

Naalala ko lang, isang tulang naisulat nuong Marso ng taong ito. Nang mabagot sa gitna ng byahe sa isang mabagal umusad na jeep. Upon reflection, ito ang kinalabasang tula. Nirerepost ko bilang alay kay Ka Roda, kahit hindi kami personal na magkakilala. Maliban sa pagiging dakilang lider ng industriya ng transport, dak...ilang driver din siyang bumaybay sa isang byaheng tagumpay ang tungo.

TAYO AY ISANG HANAY
(Para kay Ka Alex, Ka Roda, at iba pang bayani ng rebolusyon)
- NONILON V. QUEANO
10 Setyembre 2010

Sapagkat tayo’y nagmahal nang wagas sa sinintang bayan,
Nagsilbi sa masa, nag-asam ng laya,
Doon’y nagkikita: may nanay at tatay, may lolo at lola,
(Tulad ni Ka Roda),
At, mga kabataang
(Tulad ni Ka Alex)
Na suong ang buhay sa pakikibaka.
Walang nakabukod.
Kung hindi man armas,
Ang sukbit ay tula at awit,
Pinagbuklod tayo ng mga panata,
Tulad ng kay Rizal, Bonifacio, Gabriela
Lorena, Eman, Lerry, at maraming iba pa
(Sinlapad ang lista ng langit at lupa),
At ngayo’y, tulad ni Ka Alex,
Tulad ni Ka Roda
Tayo’y nabubuong isang hanay,
Walang nagtatanong kung saang uri nagbuhat
(Bagaman marami ay sa uring salat)
Di na mahalaga kung saan bang siglo o anong dekada
Nang magdalang-liwanag
At, tulad sa gabi ng mga pangarap,
Aawitin natin ang katotohanan at ipamumudmod
At pagsasaluhan,
At payayabungin na isang halaman
Hanggang mamutiktik ng bunga’t bulaklak.

Kung masa’y inapi, ginahasa, pinagnakawan, pinaslang
(Sa isang asyenda, bukirin, o saanmang pook trabahuhan )
Tayo’y libong sulong kagyat nagliliyab
Upang suhayan ang lakad ng bayan,
May mamumuno sa mga aklasan,
(Tulad ni Ka Roda),
Mayroong susulat,
(Katulad ni Alex,
Na ibibida ang bakbakan, ang mga nalagas, pinosasan
Paglago ng hanay, inaning tagumpay)
May aawit at tutula nang buong timyas sa pulang umaga
(Tulad ng Lorena o ng isang Eman)
Para ipaalam
Sa lahat ng lugal, sa lahat ng bayan.


 

Ngunit hindi bulag ang ating pagsuyo
(Alam natin ‘yan)
Tulad sa butil ng palay na tatahip-tahipin
Sa kumpas ng hangin,
Ipapalaala na lahat ng ito na pinagbuwisan--
Kawalang-hustisya, gutom, hirap,
Baluktot na isip, pagkagahaman, mga pagtataksil,
Kawalang-pag-asa, at pagkalugmok ng pinakadakila sa atin
Ay lagim na niluto sa kawa ng imperyalismong
Kumamkam sa lupa, langit, dagat
At bampira nganing, sisibain tayo hanggang kamatayan.
 

Subalit, may awit sa mga puso nating di maparam-param;
Di mapugto ang ngiti tuwing may tagumpay,
Tula’y walang ubos kahit na sa bukas
Muli tayong umang sa pakikilaban
A, sa rebolusyon, walang kahulilip ang kaligayahan.

Mayroon ding araw
(Katulad ng ngayon)
Na kalat ang dilim, tila ba uulan
May unos ba kaya?
Puso’y nagluluksa,
At ang dalamhati’y malamig na hanging humihihip-hihip,
Mayroon ding araw
Na buhos ng luha’y ating pipigilin,
Kapag may kasamang nalagas na akala natin’y laging naririyan,
Kapag may makatang, katulad ni Alex,
O may manggagawang minahal ng labis, tulad ni Ka Roda
Na habang panahong kaaga-agapay ay bibiglang lilisan
Mayroon ding araw na puspos ng lungkot,
Ngunit lilipas din.
Tulad din sa lahat ng bayang pinaslang,
Pamuling aawit, pamuling tutula, pamuling susulong sa pakikibaka
Tayong isang hanay.

Tribute to Ka Medardo Roda, man of the masses and proletarian leader
Tuesday, 07 September 2010
Negotiating Panel
National Democratic Front of the Philippines

We mourn the death of Ka Medardo Roda, man of the masses and proletarian leader. We convey our most heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife, Teresa Yunzon Velasquez, their seven children, to all his comrades in Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON) and his many comrades and friends in other organizations of the toiling masses.

He tilled the fields as a peasant youth, then became a taxi driver and subsequently a jeepney driver. He was active in the local organization of jeepney drivers in Metro Manila and was elected their president. In 1981, when the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU – May First Movement) was consolidating its transport committee, PISTON was established and within months, Ka Roda became its President.

Under his leadership PISTON became the biggest nationwide organization of jeepney drivers and transport workers. It launched effective transport strikes and militant demonstrations against the fascist Marcos dictatorship and the oil monopolies. Ka Roda was fearless and outspoken in denouncing the dictatorship's anti-worker and anti-people policies. He led rallies against the repeated oil price hikes.

He was arrested and detained several times on trumped up charges of rebellion. Undaunted by the threats and harassment of the dictator who branded him “the most rebellious driver the Philippines ever had”, he never wavered in his commitment to the cause of the proletariat.

Even in the most difficult and tense moments, he kept his cool. His sense of humour and quick wit were well known. Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran, the President of KMU and a very close friend of Ka Roda, loved to tell stories about Ka Roda's sense of humor and quick wit under difficult situations. Ka Roda loved the masses, and they in turn loved him and looked up to him as their leader.

Ka Roda has made a sterling contribution to the advance to the people's struggle for national and social liberation, demonstrating in practice over three decades the effective leadership of the working class in the people's democratic revolution. His legacy as a man of the masses and an outstanding proletarian leader will live on in the hearts of the proletariat and people of the Philippines.
 

LUIS G. JALANDONI
Chairperson, NDFP Negotiating Panel

Kung Gabi ang Dilim
Para kay Alex Remollino at Medardo “Ka Roda” Roda
ni Rolando B. Tolentino
Sept. 8, 2010

Kung gabi ang dilim, ano ang aantayin? Walang mga kulisap na paroon at parito sa pinagmumulang ilaw sa poste. Walang alitaptap dahil walang aninong tangkay na mapapagdapuan. Walang masisipat dahil ang kalawakan ay isang buong itim na sumang kinumot.

Kung gabi ang dilim, paano ang pamamaalam? Walang maaninag, walang makukumusta, walang mabibilinan, walang mapapasalamatan, walang masasabihan na hanggang sa muli. Walang tao, walang anino. Ang paligid ng karimlan ay isang uniberso ng anino.

Kung gabi ang dilim, ang mga talinhaga ang tanging pumapalaot, naghahanap ng dalampasigan ng pakikibakang mapapadparan. Ng mga kasamang namamaalam sa kawalan, ng mga naiwang akda at tulang natapos at hindi kailanman matutuldukan. Ng mga pag-ibig na bumabalot, tulad ng init sa magdamag.

Kung gabi ang dilim, ang mga mitsa sa engkwentro ng platoon, sulo sa libo-libong nagmamartsa, gaas na lampara ng unyonista sa piket, magsasakang nag-aamba sa pagbubukang-liwayway, manunulat na mag-isang tumitipak sa karimlan. Ito ay mga ilaw sa karimlang bumabalot sa lahat.

Kung gabi ang dilim, siyang namamaalam ay siyang naiiwan. At ang habilin ay higit pang kumilos sa balot ng kadiliman, habang ang dilim ay kinakalinga ng kanyang mabubuting anak.

Kung gabi ang dilim at tila kawalan-katiyakan, ang tagumpay ay siya ring nasa durungawan.

Medardo Roda, pioneer of Philippine drivers’ movement, passes away
by KMU

http://www.kilusangmayouno.org/medardo-roda-pioneer-philippine-drivers%E2%80%99-movement-passes-away

Pioneer of the progressive drivers’ movement in the country, staunch fighter for the rights of the marginalized, and a most endeared transport leader for many drivers and poor people, Medardo “Ka Roda” Roda, passed away on September 5 due to cardiac arrest.

Ka Roda, arguably one of the most well known and undoubtedly one of the most well-loved transport leaders the country has ever had, is the Chairman Emeritus of PISTON (Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide) until he died. PISTON is one of the federations under Kilusang Mayo Uno and is the organization where Ka Roda concretized his struggle for nationalism and genuine democracy for more than 30 years.

From peasant to driver, early hardwork and engagement

Born on October 27, 1934, to a peasant family in Libmanan, Camarines Sur, Ka Roda started tilling farm fields at age 12. In between school, he regularly helped his father in the farm. He went to Bicol Central Academy and was a consistent student leader until he finished high school in 1954.

He went to Manila after high school to search for a livelihood that could finance him to college. He stayed with his brother in Cavite who was a body guard-driver to then Senator Justiniano Montano. The Montanos gave him employment and sent him to an automotive school in 1957. When he finished the short course, he was asked to assist in managing the car rental business of Ciriaco Montano, the eldest son of the senator.

He left the job in 1960 and started driving a taxi in the 8th of July of that year, as Ka Roda exactly recalled. After becoming a hold-up victim for the fourth time in 1978, he decided to quit being a taxi driver.

Ka Roda transferred to jeepney driving, and started to ply the Cubao-V Luna route. There he was exposed to meetings and discussions of transport organizations, where he was always vocal and active. He was quickly elected as president of the local drivers’ and operators’ association.

Leading drivers against a dictator

KMU was then consolidating its ‘transport committee’ which led to the founding of PISTON in 1981. In July 1981, Ka Roda was elected as Third Vice President of the organization. After a few months, he eventually took over as President of PISTON.

One of the first campaigns he led was the scrapping of PD 1605, which cancels a driver’s license on his third offense in the street, no matter how small it is. When they hold transport strikes, Ka Roda remembered how mad the Quezon City Mayor’s office was to them, as they could really paralyze the streets.

Because of their strong protests against government exploitation of drivers, oil price hikes, and people’s issues as well, Ka Roda easily earned the ire of the Marcos regime. On September 5, 1983, he was arrested and charged with rebellion under the Arrest, Seize and Seizure Order (ASSO). He was arrested together with other KMU leaders, like Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran, who were ‘cracked down’ in August to September of that year.

After one year and three months, Ka Roda and some of his colleagues managed to win for their release.

From Marcos fan to enemy

Marcos would never know that he would find such a staunch enemy with Ka Roda, as the latter was actually his fan before. “I guess, it’s my admiration for effective law enforcement or my experience with the robbers that drew me closer to liking the Martial law,” Ka Roda said in an interview with the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights.

But when Ka Roda started to pay attention to the problems faced by drivers, enagaged in educational discussions with them, and determined the roots of the crises that plagued drivers and majority of the Filipinos alike, he became certain about the accountability of the state – ruled by Marcos then and led by Noynoy Aquino now.

Ka roda even recalled of how Marcos eventually tagged him: “the most rebellious driver the Philippines ever had. Gago talaga si Marcos,” Ka Roda said in a video tribute ‘Ruta ni Ka Roda’ by Kodao Productions.

Ka Roda was also arrested by succeeding regimes, in 1988 and 1990.

Loved by comrades

Ka Roda is one progressive leader who can cite specific provisions of the Philippine Constitution to use it against wrongdoings of the government itself. In a tribute held last February 14, 2009 entitled ‘Labs Ko Si Ka Roda,’ current Anakpawis Partylist Representative Rafael Mariano recited some of Ka Roda’s favorite lines: “Public office is a public trust… Sovereignty resides in the people”. To which, Ka Roda quickly added “..and all government authority emanates from them.”

Ka Roda was also known to be cheerful and entertaining to his comrades. His colleagues also remember ka Roda as one who can remain cool and clear-headed when engaging in debates within the organization.

Sickness and continuing struggle

Ka Roda was attacked by stroke in February of 2002. The left side of his body was paralyzed. But despite his condition, he continued to give valuable opinions on how to better advance the struggle of drivers’ and people’s movements.

He suffered more strokes in 2002 and 2003. On his fifth stroke on September 2 last week, he was confined at the East Avenue Medical Center. Then after days of struggling in the hospital, a cardiac arrest due to multiple seizures took away his life at 2:20pm on September 5.

Ka Roda is a proud father of seven, five daughters and two sons, to a loving wife Teresita Yunzon Velasquez.

His remains will lie at St. Peter Memorial Chapel, Quezon Avenue from the morning of September 6th. Drivers, workers, and people’s organizations will pay tribute to him in the nights of his wake, and vow to continue his struggles. #

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño