Chapter 27 – Arrest of Pastor Rudy Bernal at CPU College of Theology in 1971

I think, that was in mid-1971. I cannot remember the  exact date. But it was a hard day, a day that carried uncertainties, doubts and pains. That morning, at 10:40 AM,,  I was arrested by a joint forces of the Philippine Constabulary and  Iloilo City Police at the College of Theology, Central Philippine University,  Iloilo City. I was arrested by some 20 constabulary and police officers.. It was after  President Ferdinand Marcos suspended the Writ of Habeas Corpus in the whole country.

We felt uncertain of the  situations, with the Suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus. Together with Atty. Nicolas Centeno,of PANELFU,  we went to Hipgos, a mountain village in Lambunao, Iloilo, where they have  rice, corn and bananas planted in their  45 hectares land. We stayed several days in Hipgos, Lambunao, Iloilo  studying the situations and repercussions  of the Suspensions of the Writ of Habeas Corpus. Six months earlier, I and my friend Frank Carilimdiliman, have gone to Hipgos and several villages around, providing labor education seminars to farmers and farm workers in some Lambunao villages who were members of PANELFU.

Atty. Centeno went back to Iloilo City after a week, when the situations remained normal. I decided to stay in Hipgos for two weeks more. I tried to follow-up and visit some officers of PANELFU in 3 villages nearby. I would like to stay with Jessie Pagdato, a former rebel fighter in the army of Guillermo Capadocia, the communist revolutionary leader who was killed in the hinterlands of  Panay.

Jessie Pagdato, was  an officer of   PANELFU chapters  in Lambunao.  He has a  sister in Canada who always sent a  letter to him. He encouraged Jessie to read newspapers always. To be able to speak a simple English. Her sister said, she would like to  invite Jessie  to Canada later. Jessie has 7 sons and daughters by that time, but they are living in Lapaz, Iloilo City with their sons and daughters.

One of his son is  a soldier assigned at Camp Delgado. Another daughter was graduating in college. I often stayed with Jessie and  his family in Lapaz, near the public market. I was not able to visit them anymore due to works in the union.  But about a years,  I heard Jessie was invited by her sister to go to Canada. He went. And after several months, his other daughter was invited to Canada. And in 2 years time, Jessie's   and all their  children were in  Canada. All of them lived  in Canada. I did not met Jessie anymore.

After three  weeks in Hipgos and nearby villages, I went back to Iloilo City. But on reaching the town, I decided to pass by Lambunao Baptist Church. I will met Rev. Floripe Herradura, the pastor. A year ago, we were classmates on Homilitics, under Rev. Roseberry, an American missionary. It happened that Lambunao Circuit of Baptist Churches was holding a 2-day conference there.   There were about 170 delegates that day.

Rev. Herradura invited me to take his part that evening and preached. I accepted. I stayed for the night and preached the Closing Celebration message. It was a new challenge. For more than I year, I was not able to attend Baptist church services. I was deeply engrossed in farmers organizing and labor education programs in villages of Panay.

That night, as part of the challenge,  I called on the delegates, mostly sons and daughters of farmers  to join in organizing farmers and  sugar cane workers and participate in the work for  land reforms,  justice and liberation.

The following morning, a friend who attended the the  worship the night before, a pastor of  a church in Janiuay  invited me to join him. He  told me,  Janiuay Circuit of Baptist Churches have a conference in Calvario Baptist Church. Some  10 churches in the circuit will attend. More than 200  hundred church leaders and members  will attend that afternoon.

We attended  the conference.  I attended the afternoon and evening sessions, participating in the discussions. There, I found that a number of the delegates who were a bit older, were members  PANELFU in Janiuay ang Badiangan area. 

We have very good group discussions, and soon, many questions were raised on the Land Reforms programs and what we can do together to help farmers get better shares as tenants of big land holders. We continued with the services in the circuit. That afternoon, I left for Iloilo City.

I went direct to the CPBC office in Jaro. I stayed there for the night with June Fabellore, who was working there. That evening, I called Dr. Johnny Gumban, Dean of the College of Theology on the telephone. I missed my Dean for nearly a year. for after a year at the College of Theology again, my second time, I quit  again and joined the labor  union. That morning,  I called Dr. Gumban to extend my greetings  I have not enrolled again that 2nd semester.

Dr. Gumban seemed happy that I called him. He asked me to visit him and have breakfast with him the next morning. I accepted his offer. I went on with my planned activities for that evening.

By this time, the revolutionary  movements has become strong in different part of Iloilo and Panay. The Kabataang Makabayan  (KM) have become strong  in the universities and colleges and in the slums of Iloilo and other provinces. Many Baptist have joined the revolutionary movements. Many  young people, who were KM members before, have gone to the countrysides and submerged with the people, learnng the realities of people's lives in the city and the countrysides.

Abelardo Hortada, a former student of the College of Theology, from Capiz stopped his studies at CPU. He joined the New People’s Army. He rose in the rank of New People’s Army, operating in Tapaz and expanded to the hinterlands of Central Panay.

Charles de la Fuente, a brilliant student at CPU, former President of the Convention Baptist Youth Fellowship of the Philippines (CBYFP), left his work in a bank in Iloilo City. He went underground and joined the New People’s Army. He became a top leader of the revolutionary movements.

Fluellyn Ortegas and Virgil Ortegas, Baptist leaders at CPU have organized and were officers of Kabataang Makabayan (KM), the most militant student organization in Iloilo City. KM was the vanguard for militant economic, political and revolutionary  change in the country during that time.

The following  morning, on invitation of Dr. Gumban, Dean, at  about 8:00 AM, I went to CPU and proceed to the College of Theology at Johnson Hall.  Some Theology students, met me. They asked me about Abelardo Hortado. “Where was he? Did you met him? We heard, he was in Tapas. We heard you also visited PANELFU chapters in Tapaz?” I told them, I have not met Pastor Hortado, since he left CPU. And I never met him since then. But  I have visited  many PANELFU chapters in Tapaz, Calinog and Bingawan.

Dr. Gumban greeted me at Johnson Hall. He said, he had prepared breakfast for us. He asked me to wait for a while. He left me at the Dean’s Office. I sat at the side of the table of Mrs. Teves, Secretary of Dr. Gumban. While I was at the Dean’s Office, I saw the head of a military officer, detailed with CPU ROTC office. He was outside the window of the Dean’s Office. He was looking at me, seated inside the Dean’s Office.I looked at  him direct on his eyes.  When he saw me, he looked down and slowly walked away, trying to hide his face. I feel something was wrong.

When Dr. Gumban came back, he invited me to go up to the 2nd Floor of Johnson Hall. He said, breakfast will be served there. I went up. Breakfast was ready. I joined Dr. Gumban for breakfast.

Then, Dr. Gumban went to the other room to receive a call. When he returned he had a strange message for me. He said:  "Rudy the Philippine Constabulary are looking for you. They are coming. They want to see you.” I asked him: “Why Sir? Why they Constabulary were  looking for me? I have not done anything wrong?” He said, he received information before that the constabulary were looking for me. They suspected you. They were thinking you are an NPA. But he said, that was only their suspicions.

But my mind was clear. I have not committed any crime. I am just helping in educating our farmers and laborers  to know their rights and  to stand for their rights.

Dr. Gumban repeated that the military would like to see me. “I said, Okey Sir. I will met them.” A few minutes later, I saw two jeepneys  coming towards Johnson Hall, full with uniformed soldiers. They were  entering the grounds of Johnson Hall. I stood up and looked at the window. I saw soldiers, with guns on their arms,  jumped out of the two vehicles and surrounded Johnson Hall.

From the 2nd Floor, I tried to look down on the grounds around Johnson Hall. The soldiers have already surrounded Johnson Hall. I decided to go down to  First Floor, at the Dean’s Office. I was not able to finish eating  my  breakfast that  morning. 

But before going down to the Dean’s Office, I stood at the railings on the 2nd Floor for a short moment. I prayed. It was a silent prayer. “Lord, please help me. Please give me strength and courage. Please teach me to answer questions address on me with out hesitations and fear. 

The leader of the military officer came to me at the Deans Office. He was courteous. But his face was stern. He told me: “We are inviting you to the headquarters. Our commander would like to see you. He has some questions to ask you.” I asked him why? What crimes  have I commtted? He ignored my questions. He just said: " Our  commander would like to see you.".

I was not investigated at Johnson Hall. I was escorted out of Johnson Hall and we walked towards CPU Administration building. Dr. Gumban said: “Rudy do not worry. I will send you a blanket and a pillow”. That caused me a little worry. I asked myself. “Why will Dr.Gumban send me a blanket and pillow”.

Dr. Gumban told me that I must not worry. The military  will just asked me some few questions. But I felt, with more than 20 soldiers coming to get me, they were not going to ask me just a few questions. I was escorted out of the College of Theology. I walked together with several soldiers towards the Administration building.

Some soldiers walked ahead of me Some walked beside me. Some were at my  back, following me. I have a strange feeling, escorted by some 20 uniformed soldiers, with high powered guns. I could hardly explain how I felt. It was a strange feeling throbbing  in my heart, mind and even soul.  I  knew, I was arrested. But my arrest was made soft, by telling me, I am ‘invited’ to the headquarters. It was an invitation. But an invitation that I cannot say no.. It was a command. I was ordered to go with the soldiers to the  military headquarters.

The road from Johnson Hall to the CPU administration building was about 120 meters. But I felt it was walking  a long and hard road.  The road has lined up with many students, some standing on the road side, some walking. They were all looking at me, escorted by uniformed and stern faced soldiers.

I knew some of the  students who stood  there. Some raised their hands, acknowledging me. I don’t know, if I felt proud with soldiers escorting me. Or, it may be a feeling of shame. With heavily armed soldiers escorting me? It was just a strange feeling. I told myself, I must face this with courage and strength.

I looked straight at the faces of the students standing beside the road. I tried to stand straight. I stood tool and straight as possible. I smiled to some students whom I knew. Some raised their hands. They extended me their friendly gestures. One thing, I remembered. When your mind is clear, when your conscience is clean, you do not have feelings of fear, even with armed soldiers  taking  you to a place you do not knew where.

I rode in the jeepney flanked by the police officers.  I was brought to a room in the Police Headquarters at  General Luna Street.  There at the Police Headquarters, I was asked to set on a chair by a table. I was asked several, many   questions. Then, I was left alone in the room for  more than  an hour.  I just sat there alone inside the room. It was  hard feelings to be arrested, brought to an empty room and left for an hour, just setting down.

Then, another officer joined the previous one. They asked me of my involvements with PANELFU. I told them: " I am Chairman of the Education Committee.  We handled  training   of  members on labor education and  help organized them.  We helped farmers and workers gain strength thru organized and peaceful works."

The investigator asked me the case of Rex Betita, a student of Iloilo City College who was killed. His assailants remained unknown. He asked me what happened to Rex. Why was he killed. I told them, "I do not know.  Rex Betita was my relative from Carles. He also studied at Lyceum of the Philippines in High School. We have worked together in PANELFU.  But for almost a year, before he was killed, we have no communications." More questions were asked. I answered  softly and clearly. Then, they left the room. I stayed alone in the room, again for more than an hour.

Then another officer joined them. He looked more hard and stern  than the other two. No friendly smiles. He asked me some questions again. I answered him softly and clearly. He asked of my studies and involvement in Manila. I answered him of my work there. I told him: "I worked before with the Philippines Herald newspaper in Manila.  I resigned  and  worked as  News Editor of Agence France Presse, an international news agency.  I am in newspaper works for some years." The officer looked at me. His stern face changed. It now carries a soft smile. He realized and new I am in newspaper works before. 

He asked me some other questions. But his words were now soft and mild. It was only then, that I realized the power of words and communications. It was at that moment, the 3rd Investigator, that I was able to tell him  who I am, and what I represent then. It was there, that my being a newspaper man before, put me on an equal putting with a military officer. I think, he saw me, not a student only, nor a farmer only, but a newspaperman. 

Then, the Officers left again. They were away for about 30 minutes. I sat again alone inside the office. When they returned, the officers, told me I can go home. They asked me for my address in the city. They said, if they need me, they will send a message. And I must come.

I went home that afternoon to Jessie Pagdato’s hut near La Paz market. I took a bath. Then, rested for some  40 minutes

About 4:30, I went to CPU at the College of Theology. But in a restaurants at the front of CPU, Bernard Hervias, also a Theology student saw me. He went straight to me. He ordered soft drinks and asked me to set  on a table. He was puzzled He cannot believed I came back fast after my arrest. He thought I will stay in prison for sometimes. He asked me what happened. He asked me why I was released. Bernard Hervias, can’t believed. I am free. Then, he said. “Rudy, perhaps you are a “double agent”. You are an NPA. Also attached to the military.”   That's Bernard Hervias, my classmate and friend. He sometimes  spoke without thinking  the implications of his words. 

In May 6, 2017, many years later, again Bernard Hervias and I met during the College of Theology Alumni Reunion at Ancheta Hall/  At the  Registration Desk, we met. We have not met for many years. Pastor Bernard Hervias, in jest, said. “Here’s the ‘double agent’. He was arrested by the military in the morning. Then in the afternoon, he’s released and went back to CPU. College of Theology” We laughed again together.

It was  very hard experience in life to be arrested by the police  or constabulary officers. It was the 2nd arrest I experienced. The first, when I was arrested in Manila and have to slept for some hours of the night at the Manila Police jail. I called my friend, George Angel, formerly a Newspaper Reporter but now working  as  Assistant of Mayor  Antonio Villegas of Manila. He came about 2:00 AM. He knew the Desk Officer. He asked him to release me. And I was released.

Military and police arrests, were not easy experiences in life. You can die, without knowing it. A wrong move, can send an arrested person, to the other side of life and eternity. But, prayers taught  me one thing. Prayers has power. It can change situations in life. And prayers, with God, is often my only company in  moments of difficulties and dangerous hours.

Chapter 28 – Nenita Dagohoy Helps Implement Land Reforms in 15 PANELFU Chapters in Dingle

MEMORIES: EARLY  LIFE, STUDIES, INVOLVEMENTS & PEOPLE'S STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM

In early 1970, PANELFU has strengthened its educational and organizational efforts in different villages and  municipalities in Iloilo and Panay.  PANELFU leadership were pushing hard  the Land Reforms efforts – leasehold contracts for members, and demanding sharing basis of 75 per cent for the farmer and 25 percent share for land  owners.

This possible arrangement will change the tenancy system that provides a 50-50 per cent shares of harvest per crop year. The leasehold system, will  gave the leasehold farmers more independence  on the management of their farm. They will  be freed from interference by the landowner, including asking them to worked in their households and other family activities..

This time in May 1970, Nenita Dagohoy and her husband, William decided to pushed hard for land reforms in their farms. They will worked for the new sharing systems of – 75% share for  themselves  and 25% shares for their landlord.

Most rice farms in Dingle were first class land. There were irrigation and  palay  were planted three crops a year. Mrs. Nenita Dagohoy has two farms, one was upland. The other farm was irrigated. Both were planted with rice. Nenita Dagohoy was president of 15 chapters of PANELFU in Dingle. Seminars were held these farms  to train members  for strong organized efforts in the implementation of  land reforms.

That morning in May 20,  1970, Mrs. Nenita Dagohoy wrote a letter to the land owner. In her letter, she said:  “This crop year, we will implement Land Reforms according to law. We request you to follow the provision of the Land Reforms Law. We will handle all cost of productions. After harvest, we will get 75 per cent share of the harvest. You will get the 25 per cent. This is the law”. Nenita Dagohoy signed her letter. She sent it to the land owner by Registered Mail.

After receiving the letter, we heard the landowner was furious. Yes, they were very angry. The land owners  decided to take position of the land. He and his wife made a hard decision. They will take over position of the uppland rice farm. The land owner will fight legal and extra legal battles. They will took position of the area farmed by Mr. and Mrs. Dagohoy.

To assert their rights, the landowners plowed the field with a big tractor. They harrowed the farm immediately. Then, they get many workers to plant sugar cane seedlings on the whole fields, nearly two hectares. They get workers from several villages. William and Nenita Dagohoy just watched, as sugar canes were planted on their rice field. They did not move. They kept silent. The sugar canes were planted. It started to sprout.

The Dagohoy’s planned their moves silently and secretly. They prepared for a  hard and strong struggle. They will make a peaceful fight to recover their lost rice field. Secretly, they  sowed rice seeds in another village. They hope to plan rice seedlings in their farms by  2nd week of June. They made sure, the land owner do not know they have a  ready rice seedlings. With the rains that came, they mobilized the members of PANELFU in Dingle, who were trained to be ready. They plowed and harrowed the field already planted with sugar cane seedlings that were already growing  during the night.

Then with nearly a hundred PANELFU members from different villages, they immediately planted rice seedlings as sunlight comes. By  10 oclock that  morning,  many of   fields  with sprouting sugar canes the day before, were planted fully with rice seedlings. More than a hundred farmers, men and women who were PANELFU members stood guard nearby.  The land owners did not move. They felt it was risky for them to move.  It was a strong, dramatic and decisive move by the farmers and PANELFU members.

Frank Carilimdiliman took pictures of the rice fields. It was now planted with rice seedlings. They sent a letter and pictures to the officials of the Department of Agrarian Reforms. The landowners were not able to move. The farm was very peaceful. The members of PANELFU were in the houses nearby. It was a fight of nerves. It was a battle for legal position of the leased  lands. Members of PANELFU helped guard and secure Nenita Dagohoy’s farm. They made sure, no tractor will enter the rice field and plant sugar cane again. It was a battle of minds, hearts  and nerves.

The landowners filed complaints in the Provincial Court of Iloilo.  Atty.Nicolas  Centeno and Atty.Cesar  Beloria  faced the landowners and  fought the case of the Dagohoy’s in the provincial court. The legal fight started and continued for years. But the position of land was now in the hands of William and Nenita Dagohoy. When it was time to harvest, the Dagohoy’s sent a letter to the owner.

They asked the land owners to come and witnessed  the harvest. If they will not come, the Dagohoy’s will get 75% of the harvest. The 25 perccent share of the landowners, will be deposited in the Municipal Hall of Dingle. It happened that way. The land owner did not get their share of harvest deposited in the municipal treasurer\s office. Many farmers followed the Dagohoy’s experiments Dingle and in other municipalities in Iloilo. . Several  farms were freed from the aged - old tenancy system if 50-50% sharing of rice harvests on tenanted lands..

Frank Carilimdiliman and me,  continued our educational and  organizational  seminars, helping  farmers on land reform laws. We focused on provisions that gave farmers 75% share of harvests with 25% share for the landlords. During that time, sharing systems was 50-50%. It was a hard. But some farmers decided to apply the land reform laws in the farms they were working.

Atty. Centeno continued to fight the cases of farmers in the courts. There were many successes. Many farmers in several towns in Iloilo and Panay succeeded to get 75% share of the farm harvests. But it was hard fights in the courts. It was harder fighting and asserting rights for the farms. It needs courage and determinations. Many farmers succeeded. Some farmers gave- up, specially when armed men were mobilized by the landowners to take position of the land like some villages in Oton, Iloilo.What happened in Oton. The tenant farmer fought his case in court.

But the landowner, mobilized a group of armed men and went to the house of the tenant. They told the  tenant to stop working  in his farm.Or he will be buried right there in his farm. The tenant went to PANELFU Office. But there were  only 3 organized farmers  have joined PANELFU in Oton. And they were  not yet trained well. The tenants did not  have the will power to fight the landowners armed men.  Later, the tenant left the farm. He was afraid of the landlords armed men.

In September 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law. And to appease the restive peasants in the country, he declared Land Reforms in rice and corn producing areas. These were used by President Marcos as base of his political control. The Department of Land Reforms was organized through the President's directive. The first Director of the governments Land Reform programs was headed by Atty. Viadora.  He worked hard with his men, to push harder the new land reforms law in the country.

We at PANELFU continued our works organizing  peasants, not anymore to get 75% of the harvests. We organized them so that the  land they were farming will be awarded to them under the new Land Reform Law. The possibility to own the tenanted or leased by farmers, who were organized was now  more   easier. But it was a hard battle to fight.

Now, 48 years have passed and some lands owned by land owners were  Land Reform areas. But  the big lands in the country remained  untouched. Like,  those  owned by  the Cojuangco and Aquino families in  Tarlac. They were not touched by the  Philippine Land Reforms Law.

The struggle for land reforms continues. Our generation has failed to win the struggle. But the younger generations, hopefully  will fight and  continue to fight to recover the lands given by God to all Filipino people. But unfortunately, taken over by the rich and powerful, the sons and daughters of Spaniards and Americans, who controlled our country;s lands and our other  resources until today.

Chapter 26 -Joins AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE (French News Agency) Manila Bureau as News Editor

It was in July  1966 that I joined and worked with Agence France Presse (French News Agency), an International News Agency’s Manila Bureau. During that time in the Philippines, there were four international news agencies , providing national, regional and world news to   Asia – United Press International (UPI), Associated Press (AP) both from the United States, Reuters from Great Britain and Agence France Presse (AFP), from France.

These  four International News Agencies, all operating in the US and Europe, has great  power. They helped greatly in building the world and  people to what the thought are good, even if it will work bad for the many. These  four International news agencies  controlled the worlds public opinions.

That time, I  have  limited training on news writing works.  We were best in  Proof Reading jobs. But with  almost zero experience in News Editing job.  And I am not good in English. Writing was always a struggle and hard work for me.  I’m working as Proof Reader of the Philippines Herald. It  was the oldest newspaper in the country. It was one of the newspapers closed by President Ferdinand Marcos when he declared martial law in September 1972. Other national newspapers- The Manila Times, Manila Chronicles, Manila Bulletin and Philippine Evening News, re-opened and published again. But Philippines Herald decided to close forever.

While doing Proof Reading works, I was always invited by other Page Editors to assist them, when their assistant was  on vacation leave or other works. They asked Mr. Bote Bautista to allow me  to assist the other Pages  Editors - the Business page  Editor, Travel page editor, Foreign News Editor, Sports Editor. I was never invited to assist the Women's page Editor. I enjoyed my work as Proof Reader, and always invited by the other pages  editors to assist them I was also given extra fee.

While   doing proof reading works, a friend who works with Agence France Presse, Ed Magtoto visited me.  We had a good conversations. Then he said, "Rudy, there is vacancy at Agence France Presse. Only one vacancy. We are looking for another News Editor. Kid Tatad, the Senior Editor has resigned two days ago. Mr. Vincent Lateve asked me to  find someone to replace him. I have not told yet anyone of the opening. If you want, you apply tomorrow. Bring all your needed documents."

"If you would like to apply, come to the office tomorrow at 11:00 AM. I will introduce you to the manager." The job was news editing. I thought, the job offered was  much better than proofreading. He told me, aside from news editing, I will have more opportunity to cover news, news for international audience.

I prayed for God's guidance. The following day, I went to the Office of Agence France Presse (AFP). with my application letter and other needed documents. Agence France Presse office was at the Ground Floor of the Manila Chronicle building, in Intramuros. Chronicle was owned by the Lopez family..

Fernando Lopez was active political leader He served as Senator and this time, Vice President of the country. Every national and local elections, the Chronicles Printing Press was busy producing elections propaganda materials, including Sample Ballots for distribution during election campaigns.

At Agence France Presse (French News Agency) that morning, I was introduced by Mr. Magtoto to Mr. Vincent Lateve. He was a toll, middle aged Frenchman. He came to Manila as Correspondent of AFP. He took the place of Teodoro (Teddy) Benigno, AFP Manager, who went to Paris on scholarship. After he returned, Teddy Benigno was appointed Press Secretary by President Cory Aquino.

I have a pleasant conversation with Mr. Lative. He accepted me as the newest editor of AFP. One thing I remembered of him. After some discussion during my interview, he said, “You have a good voice. It will be important when you make interviews”. I smiled and extended my hands for a handshake. I remembered his words. ”You have a good voice.” I thought my practice of deep breathing  paid off. For I have a squeaky and effeminate voice when I was younger. Then, he referred me to Mrs. Trinidad, Assistant Manager to give me further instructions and details of my work.

Mrs. Trinidad gave me needed instructions. She gave me information of the other AFP News Editors. Their  time and assignments. She said, if possible I must start work in three days. I am  really needed. I immediately resigned from the Philippines Herald. Three days later, I was already with Agence France Presse. And started my  work as News Editor.

I feel I cannot believed my luck. I am now News Editor of an International News Agency. Soon, I will be assigned to interview top people in government, diplomats and politicians. What, if I did not decide to study in high school. Or, if I did not pushed myself hard to study in college as work student -scrubbing  2 rooms at Valentines Hall or later  washing dishes of student interns at Weston Hall? A new opportunity has opened. I thanked God for his help and guidance.

We were seven AFP staff. Mr. Vincent Lateve, International Correspondent and Manager. Mrs. Trinidad, Assistant Manager and in charge for Philippine Features write-ups for national and international release. Ruben Alabastro, Senior Editor and Assistant Correspondent, Edgar Sibal, Assistant News Editor, Mr. Ed Magtoto, News Editor and of course now, Rudy Bernal, News Editor.

There were 3 Teletypists that mans the receiving and transmission of news. The 3 teletype machines worked 24 hours a day receiving news from around the world. There was also an installed Telegram Machine, where we  sent  messages, very fast if needed. We looked at all the incoming news. Those that were of interest  to  Southeast Asia, were transmitted to Singapore, where they were distributed to Southeast Asia cities.

Here, I discovered the power of Teletype and Cables machines. Every minutes  the Teletype machines spews news items coming from all over the world, and transmitted to Newspapers, radio TV Stations in the Philippines. These were wonders of mass communication. I never thought of this things, while taking care of our carabaos when I was in grade school.

Mr. Vincent Lateve and Ruben Alabastro prepared and wrote the  news for  Southeast Asia  and  news International release three times a day --in the mornings, noon times and in the evenings..

News service works were exciting job. When news  in the Philippines broke with international interests we, at AFP . have to work fast, so we can transmit it faster than other news bureaus for a few minutes. International news are highly competitive jobs. A minute ahead of other news agencies, means good  business. It was a work that carries discipline, fast action and  hard challenges.

The   News Editor, I replaced at Agence Frence Presse was Francisco (Kit) Tatad. He resigned from AFP and joined Manila Daily Bulletin as Columnist. Kit Tatad was a very good writer and columnist. On many occasions while covering diplomats who arrives or who were leaving Manila, Kit Tatad was always there.

I only   come and cover  events  when Ruben Alabastro, Senior News Editor was busy and sent me to r the event. We were often at the Press Lounge of Manila International Airport for Press briefings I listened always carefully, as Kit Tatad asked questions during interviews. I tried to study and learn his style and methods of asking questions to high ranking  diplomats that arrives or go  out of the country.

Kit Tatad continued working as Manila  Bulletin columnist for abour 2 years.   Then  President Ferdinand Marcos appointed him Press Secretary. then   Secretary for Public Information. He  became the  official spokesman of President  Ferdinand Marcos. He was transformed  from a columnist, and become the   powerful voice of the President of the Philippines.

When President Marcos declared martial law, Secretary Francisco Tatad, read the Martial Law declaration on newspapers,   radio and television. I remembered, It seems to me, his lips  quiver and his hands  trembles a bit, as he reads the Martial Law declaration. For that was a defining moment in the Philippines. In other countries, a similar situation have brought upheaval and revolutions  that toppled governments.

It was privilege to work with Agence France Press. It was a great learning process. The Press Card, used with humbleness, opens wide opportunities for an ordinary man like me. It opened closed doors in governments, business and diplomatic offices. That’s one power of media.

I remembered the first time I was assigned to interview a Senator. I was assigned by Mr. Robin Alabastro to interview Senator Jovito Salonga. It was during the Jabidah  massaquer. I went to Congress. I proceeded to  Senator Salonga's office in  the Senate. There was a name on his door. I knocked. But I stopped. My heart was beating hard. I did not open the door. I stopped for a moment. I breathe deeply  and hard.

Deep breathing lessen the tension and throbbing of my heart. Then, I went  around several offices, a distance of about 100 meters.  Then, I  came back to the  office of Senator Salonga.  I knocked. I opened the door. I proceeded to the Secretary. I flashed my Press Card. I spoke slowly. I said:  "Agence France Presse Maam is requesting to interview Senator Salonga";

The Secretary looked me straight on the eyes. He took my Press Card. Then he asked me to wait. She will talk to the Senator. She ushered me to the room of the Senator. The Senator was pouring on pages of letters when I came. He look at me. I gave him my Press Card. He look at it. Then asked me to set down. : " Senator, I| am Rudy Bernal from Agence France Presse.  I would like to have an interview with you."

"Iam from Iloilo City and formerly with CPU. I am a Baptist. I was at Central Philippine University, several months ago, when you spoke at CPU students and faculties." Senator Salonga extended his hand for handshake. He thanked me for the information. He said, he was happy that the Baptists in Panay and Negros supported his candidacy. Then the Senator sat on the other side of the table.

He was very friendly and accommodating. I know Senator Salonga was a Protestant. I readied my tape recorder. And I began my interview. I asked him several questions that we prepared at Agence France Presse. He answered clearly and lengthily. And the interview lasted for nearly 20 minutes. I thank the Senator. We shake hands again. I went back to our office. I wrote the story. And my job for the day was done. After that first interview with the Senator, covering news and doing interviews with government leaders, political leaders, military leaders and diplomats became more easier and a challenge.

I made an interview with Ninoy Aquino. It was about the Jabida massacre case, where several Muslim trainees in Corregidor were reported massacred. There was only one survivor. The wounded young man, who swam from Corrigidor to Cavite. He said, they were told, they will be sent to Sabah. It was a short interview with Ninoy Aquino. Fifteen minutes with my Tape Recorder.

Interviews were jobs that needs and demands preparation. The need for background checks and former pronouncements of the persons to be interviewed. There were always invitations for press briefings and press conferences. These jobs offered me opportunities to rub shoulders with those in power, knowledge and wealth.

One time, I was covering a conference. I cannot remember any more that conference in Quezon City. That day Sen. Robert Kennedy was shot. One of my instructions, when covering news, was to call the office every 15 minutes. That will provide us the opportunity to get news that came any time of the day. When I called the office, Edgar Sebal, news editor, told me that Sen. Robert Kennedy was shot. 

I shouted to the reporters that Robert Kennedy was shot. Max Edralin, a cousin of President Marcos ran to me. “ What did you say? What happened? Robert Kennedy was shot”. I  told him Senator Kennedy was shot. Then, I saw all newspapermen were on the phones calling their offices.

There were no cell phones then. Big news were hot events. The competitions in news business were great. Edgar Sibal, transmitted Robert Kennedy assassination barely a minute ahead of other news group in Manila. Transmission of news fast, even for a minutes, was an achievement.

Under a different situations, I cannot shout to Max Edralin, a cousin of President Marcos. But media offered me time to be on the level of the powerful in our country, even for just a few minutes.

After working a year and a half at AFP, I began to feel that news editing and writing was not the job I would like to do all my life. The job offers good salary. Most of the snacks and meals were free. But I felt, I could not live my life, telling the stories of the people in the news, what they do and how they do it. I thought, perhaps, when I am old, I can just write stories of people’s lives. But at this time, while still young, I must be part of the actions, whatever that action is.

In my brief works in the newspaper and wire service, I have seen the slums of Pasay, Tondo, San Andres in Malate, Makati, Pandacan and other areas with the brutal living conditions of the poor in the slums, a grave contradictions to the affluence and rich and powerful we saw in newspaper society pages.

I have seen, that  newspapers were part of the strongest forces that strengthen the elites and the oligarchs to maintain their power and strength. The poor, has no voice and power to change their situations and lives.

I saw the struggle of the students in Metro Manila as they rallied to show the evils of the social, economic and political system of the country. I have seen the challenges of the trade unions and their call for people to organize and work for change. This tinkered my mind and touched my soul. God was giving me a new order. He calls me to a new life’s directions. The directions was clear. To be a minister of the gospel. Or be a labor labor and organizer Or both, a pastor and labor organizer. I prayed for God’s guidance and direction.

A few days later, I heard that Mr. Curaming, a Herald reporter who covers National Defense and the Philippine Constabulary resigned. He stopped from his newsparework. He will study in the seminary. He will be a Catholic priest, and served his people. I have not heard from him since then. I do not know if he became a priest. But I have, somehow followed the same decision he made, with a little difference. My decision was to be a pastor and a labor leader.

That night, I decided to join the groups that were working for social, spiritual, economic and political change. I will join hands with other sectors of society and helped empower the poor and weak, unite and help fight for the needed structural and political change in our country.

Several months later, I resigned from Agence France Presse. I decided to join and work with farmers and farm laborers and help labor union in Panay. I will go back to Iloilo as base of our works. I have decided to remain in the Philippines and work in the country and helped in the struggle of our change

That night I bowed down my head to God in prayer. I asked God’s guidance. I know, it will be another long way. But God will open my way, the needed way, as I go in service to Him. I will study again as pastor, but will involve myself in the people’s movement, with labor education and people’s organizing as part of my ministry in life.

When I joined Kabataang Makabayan (KM) in Manila, my mind and decision was clear. I will not join the armed struggle, though I’ll respect the stand of those who believe. I will not fight with bullets. I will join a Labor union. I will go back to Iloilo and will join Atty. Nicolas Centeno and  the  Philippine Association of Nationalists Employees, Laborers &  Farmers Union (PANELFU) I will help in education, mobilizing and organizing laborers and farmers in Panay. I will   fight with ideas,  reasons and power.

I will  worked with other sectors of society,  educate, organize and mobilize  the laborers, workers, peasants, fisherfolk and urban poor, the weakest sector of Philippine  society. Together,  they can stand and fight for equality, freedom, justice, liberation  and social transformation.

Chapter 26 – Mets Ruther Batuigas, Joins Philippines Herald Newspaper & Learns Photo Journalism

It was big  opportunity that I was able to work full time with Philippines Herald, a national  newspaper based  in Manila. That happened   while I was studying at Lyceum of the Philippines, taking Political Science, planning to enter Law School the following year. It was nearly a year after I left CPU.  Philippines Herald was a newspaper owned and published by Dr. Andres Soriano, Jr., one of the prominent businessmen in the country that time. The Heralds circulations reached all cities and major towns in the country.

Dr.  Andres Soriano, Jr., was one the oligarchs and powerful business elites of the time. He controlled big business conglomerates, on the same lines as the Lopez family of Manila Chronicles, the  Roces family of Manila Times,  friends of Hanz Menzi,  owners of Manila Daily Bulletin, the  the owners of Philippine Evening News. These were the most powerful newspapers of the 60’s that own  and control the big businesses  in the country.

I would like to say, that in all the works I  involved in, there were people, friends and near strangers who helped me. I realized, generally, people were  helpful to ordinary  young men and women striving to  make life and society a bit better.  I believe that God was helping and guiding me.

Even in 3rd &  4th year high  school, I  tried to  read newspapers. It gave me ideas on what were happenings in the country daily. I  like also to improve my English. Speaking English was a struggle in my college days. I want to participate in discussions in our  class rooms.  To help me improve  myself, I need  to have more ideas and information stored on my mind to be able to participate in class and other discusions.

Since, I have interest in Photography, I tried to get technics from photos in newspapers and magazines.  There   I read   works of  Ruther Batuigas. He was Chief Photographer of the Philippines Herald. He was also  President of the Philippine Association of Photo Journalists Associations. Ruther Batuigas  was well- known among newspaper readers  in Metro -Manila. He was a brave, daring and enterprising Police Reporter and Photo Journalist.

Ruther Batuigas’s photos and stories showed  and told  hard and painful stories and realities of the poor’s deprived lives in Intramuros, Tondo and other slums of Metro Manila. Yet. the  Philippine Heralds Society pages, carried also  his pictures, showing high livings of the richest,  influential and powerful people of Metro Manila.

Ruther Batuigas has won an International Photo Journalist’s Award in the 60’s. His award winning photograph, was a shot at very close ranged of two men fighting in the slums of Intramuros.


The pictures, showed a man with a bow and an arrow on his sling shot. Ruther captured the deadly fight and encounter on the streets effectively. The first shot  on his photo showed when an arrow was about to be released from the sling. The second shot  showed when the arrow hit the forehead of the man. The third shot show the victim writhing in pain, with the arrow embedded deep on his forehead.

The fourth  photo shot, showed the victim on the lap of  a woman, her mother.  She was weeping with one hand stretched out above, almost praying to  heaven.  Ruther’s caption of the Award Winning Picture  says "Dear God, Please Save Him". It was  a beautiful caption. I was beautiful, It moves hearts. It touched souls. . “Dear God, Please Save Him.”

I tried to meet Ruther several times.  But he was always busy. I learned, he was from Capiz. Bit  one day, I saw him at the Herald’s Canteen. There were numbers of customers. I went direct to Rither  and introduced myself.  I told him: “ Sir, I am Rudy Bernal from Iloilo. I am studying here at Lyceum. Am Third Year college. I worked as a  an Itenerant  Photographer. Please help me to learn news papering.  I would like to work in the newspaper.” Ruther listened to me. Then he asked some questions. I gave him some answers.

Ruther went to a man seating on another table. He talked to him. Then he called me. He introduced me to Joe Carreon, the Herald Police Reporter who covered the night shift of police beat. Ruther requested Joe Carreon to help me learn news papering works.

Joe Carreon, was a UP graduate. We were of the same age. Joe told me to join him in the Police Beat that evening. We will be working from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM. That was the start. For 3 months, I was with Joe Carreon, his Cub, learning the arts and trade of police and crimes reporting in Metro Manila.

I thanked Joe Carreon and Ruther for their help. I went back to my table and finished my lunch. A few minutes later, Ruther came back. He has a stab of Herald canteen meal tickets. Ruther gave me 30 stabs of meal tickets. It has 90 meal tickets good for a month's meals. Ruther made sure, I have food in one month,  free breakfast, lunch and supper,  while being a Cub Reporter of the Philippines Herald under  Joe Carreion..

Every night, at 6:00 P.M. I joined Joe Carreon in the police bit. We rode the Herald Police car with his driver, Joe Mendoza. The jeep had a radio, a walkie-talkie that enabled us to call the Herald office and DYHP Radio station. Our base  for  police coverage was the National Police Headquarters at United Nations Avenue. During that that time, it was headed by General Manuel Yan, Manila Police Chief.

Ruther gave me an Application Form. I signed it. He shot my 2 x 2 pix with his camera. A week later, he came and gave me a Press Card - of the The Philippines Photo Journalists Association, Inc.  It was signed by my new friend, Ruther Batuigas. I am now a  new member of the Philippines Photo Journalists Association, Inc.

Joe Carreon  introduced me to other police reporters. They were very helpful. They tried ways to help me learn the arts and technics of covering crimes and writing crime stories. The police reporters of Manila Times, Manila Chronicles, Manila Daily Bulletin, Philippine Evening News were all friendly and tough police reporters. One of them was Jose Burgos, a crusading journalist.

He later organized Malaya newspaper with his friends. Malaya stood strongly fighting  President Marcos during martial law. He served as publisher. Later, he gave up his newspaper work, sold his interest in Malaya and started his experiments and study on natural and organic farming in an outskirts of Manila.

While training as Cub Reporter, often at 9:00 PM we visited the 4 police district stations in Manila. About 2:00 AM we visited police stations in Quezon City, Caloocan City, Malabon, Navotas and Pasay City. I saw the night lifes of Metro Manila. Police reporters often stayed and passed the time on Night Clubs in Malate with a few  bottles of bear. Club managers were friends of Joe Carreon and other Police Reporters.

One time Joe Carreon asked me to join him at Bayview Club, one of the top night clubs along Roxas Boulevard. We went to a round table with 5 people – two young men and 2 women and a child.

Joe Carreon introduced me to the beautiful woman and the other guests. He also offered me a bottle of bear. I drink only a bottle or two o bear. Never more. The woman was tall and slender. She talked in Spanish to the child near her. She talked to me in English. We have some short conversation. But I did not know her name. It was not clearly said.

Then, she was called on the microphone. She was escorted to the stage. Only then, I learned she was a singer. She sang a song in English. Then, she followed it with a Spanish song. Very beautiful renditions of an English and Spanish songs.

The audience stood almost together as she vowed her head and returned to our table. She's  Pelita Corales, one of the well-known singers of the time. And she was wth  us.   It was the first time, I listened in person to Pelita Corales, whose songs were often played in dances by most young people in Iloilo during our younger days.

Doing reportorial jobs in Manila was hard work. I saw the crimes reported by the police. I heard many crimes that were not reported. I saw many people killed by gunshots. More  people were  stabbed and killed. Hard crimes continue to flourish. . I  often saw young girls going to Police  General Headquarters at United Nations Avenue, going to station  after having been raped. It was an ordeal for women and their families. Being raped and getting justice was always hard.

I saw some of the girls, still with bloods on their legs, limping to the Police Station. And  more and more harder for victims to fight for justice. Many crimes --petty crimes, big crimes and celebrity crimes-- happened always in Metro Manila and remained unsolved.

One celebrity crimes was the murder of the estranged wife of Banjo Laurel, son of Congressman and Speaker of the House Jose Laurel, Jr. We visited the crime scenes. Banjo Laurel was studying at Lyceum when his wife was killed in their home. But the victim’s family has kept silent. It was hard, very hard for the victim’s family to speak. The Laurels, Congressman Laurel and Banjo Laurel were very, very powerful people in Manila, that can never be touched by the justice system  in our country.

Stories of the crime were written. But the perpetrators were unknown. And the search for justice was hard, long and lonely for the victim and their family. Here was shown one disparity on people’s lives. I saw the different kind of justice system working. The justice for the rich and powerful. And the justice for those who were ordinary, the weak and poor. And  for many ordinary, weak and  poor people, justice was always   unreachable.

In the political scene, these were trying times.  The student's unrest was going strong. The students  in Metro Manila  saw  the deep poverty that buried the poor in sufferings and  injustice.  They also saw the   affluence of the rich and powerful living  luxury lives in their  palatial homes.

The students specially members of Kabataang Makabayan (KM), saw the situations after they have submerged and integrated with residence of slums. They learned the evils of society under the control of the elites and oligarchs. The students started to think. They  truth and social and political realities. . They began to condemn the atrocities and abuses of the rich and powerful.

With Kabataang Makabayan (KM)  as the core, they  organized and mobilized themselves and begun to expose and condemned  the evil of US imperialism, feudalism and bureaucratic capitalism as they begun they  work for change.

Three months after I started as Cub reporter with the Philippines  Herald,  Ruther Batuigas came  He told me my application to work with Philippines Herald was accepted.  I will work first  as Proof Reader. Then, slowly, as I learn the trade of newspapering, he will   help me become  also as a Reporter. He said:  “ Rudy, you have learned skills on crime and news gathering.  You need to learn more. The  possibilities are always open"

Now, by reading news reports daily  from Police, Congress, the Senate, Malacanan, Labor, Health, Army, Navy, Constabulary, Air Force and events happening around – just reading news reports on galleys, 8 hours a day,  helped hone and sharpen your skills on news writing.” Then, Ruther, introduced me to Bote Bautista, a Pampangeno and chief of the Proof Reading office.

I started working at the Proofreading disk of Philippines Herald. We were seven Proof readers daily. We worked 8 hours a day. Four of us starts working 1:00 P.M. until we closed the Provincial News Edition. Three of us start works at 3:00 - PM until we start printing the City Edition. It was great working, just reading, reading and reading galley proofs, 8 hours a day. Then, read the newspapers as it comes out at 2:00 PM for the provincial editions.

During this time and the next 3 years, I saw in Manila the start and growth of the students movements, student demonstrations and people’s rallies. I have seen the steady growth of the students unrest. How it started at Lyceum, the University of the Philippines and moved fast in different directions of the University  belt..

It’s expansions to different colleges and universities in Metro Manila. The strength and forces of students movements now gathering force and galvanized for change and social transformation. This movement was starting to be called the First Quarter Storms of the Philippine Revolution (FQS).

One afternoon, there was a student rally at the Lyceum. The speakers were mostly from Lyceum. The heat of the atmosphere could be felt as speakers after speaker hit the social and economic and political evils in  Philippines society. The anger of the students were seen on their faces. .

That afternoon,  there moves came fast and sudden. I saw a student getting a rock and hurled it at the glass windows of  the Lyceum of the Philippines. Then another student followed. And more students hurled stones and rocks in the glass windows of the college. In less than an hour, the glass windows of Lyceum were mostly shattered,  broken and ruined.

The following day, the student demonstrations followed at nearby Feati University. Then it moved on fast and strong to most colleges and universities in Manila. In those days, most glass windows of colleges and universities in the university belt and stores along the roads were broken.

A day after, the once beautiful glass windows of colleges and universities were covered with plywood. The anger of the students were shown that day and the following days. It was the students anger and strength revealed for the first time in Metro Manila.

But, I think San Juan de Letran, Ateneo de Manila and San Bida College were not touched by students upheaval. Neither can I remember St. Paul’s College, Sta. Scholastica and Assumption College and other exclusive colleges for girls and boys. They were not  hit by student's  rallies. These exclusive schools for the rich, powerful  and influential,  were not touched by the need for change during that  time.

Students of exclusive schools have not seen and were not touched by realities of grave poverty in the country. They enjoyed privilege and security. Then the First Vatican Council meeting came in Rome. Little change came at the exclusive schools. It started with some movements in the Catholic church. Some students of exclusive schools, were sent for an hour of visits  slums in Manila. For the first time, the students of exclusive schools saw the extreme poverty of the poor and the deprived lives of millions in Manila.

They also learned from the lectures of some Priests, that only 4 per cent of the population, owns and control the the lands and other vast resources of the country. That’s the reason for the grave poverty of majority Filipinos.

On 2nd quarter of 1965, I joined the students rally in Malacanan. The Vietnam-US war that started in 1961 has greatly intensified. Vietcong forces had attacked South Vietnamese and American forces in several places. The United States was asking countries in Southeast Asia for volunteers and help fight the communists who were fighting in South Vietnam.

A few thousands students joined the rally. months before the 1965 November elections. It was a peaceful rally held at Malacanan but it has a strong demand. President Diosdado Macapagal asked the student leaders to go up to the Palace for a dialogue. There the student leaders asked President Macapagal not to send Filipino troops to South Vietnam. The students do not see the wisdom of US war involvement in Vietnam. They foresaw millions of Vietnamese and a thousand American and its allies dying in the Vietnam War.

Sen. Ferdinand Marcos, who was running for President, in a statement the following day, said if elected president, he will not send Filipino forces to South Vietnam. Some students believed him. But after he was elected President in November 9, 1965, Marcos forgot his campaign promise. One of his first actions was to send Filipino soldiers, the PHILCAG  (Philippine Civic Action Group) to South Vietnam under the command of Colonel Fidel Ramos.

President Marcos first year  in Malacanang showed the growing strength of the students, workers and peasants’ movement that continued exposing the evils of US imperialism, the atrocities of feudalism and the greed of bureaucratic capitalism . These three evils were the major causes of poverty and deprived lives of Filipinos.

During this years, Ruther Batuigas continued to serve the people with his pictures and newspaper reports. He touched some powerful leaders in Manila, some got angry with him. Some advised him to go slow. But he continued in his work, exposing evils in the bureaucracy and even among his peers in the news and information business.

One day, I was shocked. Ruther Batuigas was ambushed in Malate, Manila. He was brought to the hospital between life and death. I learned he got some 30 bullets passing through his body. When I visited him, he was still unconscious. A lady relative was watching him in the hospital. I prayed for Ruther. I also left some amount for medicine. Many, I know prayed for Ruther. Later, his body stabilized. Little by little he gained strength and recovered. He went back to work as a journalists. He continued serving the people by exposing anomalies in government as a newspaperman, news photographer.

He continued his journey of service through his camera,  pictures and the written words. He became a newspaper columnist. He continued for years in the calling. Then he became a publisher of the newspaper he organized with his friends and partners. It was a beautiful journey for my friend, Ruther Batuigas, who ventured to Manila from Mambusao, Capiz, years ago, with his camera.

And with creativeness, enterprise, courage, dedication and faith reached far and touched people’s lives with his camera and his pen. He shared his stories and pictures. He helped brought change in people’s minds, lives and communities

Chapter 23 –Enrolled at Lyceum of the Philippines, Intramuros,  Manila in June 1965

In May, 1965 I went down from Baguio City to Manila. It was raining slightly in Baguio City when I took the bus about 7:00 A.M. On the way down Cannon Road, I felt the winds were getting stronger. Along the way, I saw some fallen trees along Pangasinan and Tarlac highways. A strong typhoon was hitting northern Luzon.

When I arrived in Manila, it was about 4:00 P.M. Manila was flooded. I proceeded to San Andres Bukid in Malate, where some friends, where waiting for me. They have returned home from Baguio City, where we worked together as Itinerant  photographers until two weeks ago. They were living together in a big room. It was a comfortable room the have rented in an old house on the side or the river.

The area was heavily populated with several thousands of squatters homes inside the area. There was a small passage where residents passed, made of 4 pieces of bamboos that were lined side by  side and tied together. The "bamboo bridge " was  about  1  kilometer long. It was in   a slum in San Andres Bukid, near Singalong in Malate.

I  wrote letters to several colleges and universities in Manila. I asked permission to  enroll as a working student. I requested  enroll with my Educational Benefits from, but  to work  2 hours daily  to pay for my food accomodation  and other school needs. I sent my letters to San Beda College, UP-Deliman, San Juan de Litran. After a week, I received replies. They do not accept working students. I enrolled at Lyceum of the Philippines,  Intramuros,  Manila.

I  planned to enroll that June. To earn my daily needs, I joined my friends to work as itinerant photographers in Manila. There were 3 areas where we found good photography business. One was Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City. Here every Sunday, thousand of Catholics go to mass. And there were some 6 masses from morning until late afternoon.

On Saturday mornings, we were at Dewey Boulevard (now Roxas), where many families come to bathe their children. During that time, Dewey Boulevard has still clean seashores. And many children stroll in  the afternoons  until  nights.

On Sunday afternoons, I’m at Luneta Park. Here photography business were brisk. Local tourists from all over Metro Manila comes. They stroll on the wide Luneta Parks, visit Rizal’s Monument, sat on the loans all over the park and listened, while gallivanting around to music of the 50’ , 60’s and 70’s from singers of the time – Elvis Presley, Patti Page, Karen Carpenter, Connie Frances, Perry Como and other singers.

Often in the evenings, their were concerts every Sundays, with musical talents from Metro Manila. The beautification of Luneta Parks was made possible thru a dynamic leadership of Teodoro Valencia, Manila Times columnists, who was made in-charge of Luneta Parks committee on beautification.

Working two days weekly, and delivering the pictures during weekdays. I earned some amounts for my daily needs – food, lodging, transportation money to school and other needs. I was processing my scholarship as a son of a Filipino veteran, given by the Philippine Veterans Administration.

Sunday mornings, we were at Lyceum Quadrangle or at Camp Crame, where we have ROTC training. I took my subjects most in the mornings. In the afternoons, after a few hours in the library, I go and deliver pictures to my customers around Metro Manila which includes include Pasay City, Quezon City, Manila, Caloocan and other nearby towns.

Often, on Saturday evenings, I joined a friend, a photographer of Reyes Studio in Manila, covering affairs like birthdays, wedding receptions, college students dances and other special occasions in different big restaurants in the city. Photography was a delicate, fast, light works that needs lots of imagination before pressing the camera’s shutter.

Taking pictures was an art. I enjoyed the work. But there were times, when we have no business, most often during rainy days.

One Saturday morning at Dewey Boulevard, I met two young girls in white uniforms, with two children, strolling at Dewey Boulevard. They were trying to breath fresh airs from the sea. I went to them and invited them to take their pictures. I showed them my sample pictures. These were black and whites. No colored pictures yet during that time.

The two girls looked at my sample pictures. It was pictures of 3 beautiful girls I took  in Baguio City. These were my sample pictures. The girls agreed that I will take their photos. I took about 12 shots.Then, I asked for their address, telephone numbers and how to reach their place. They wrote this on my Address Book.

I do not take down payments for taking pictures. I said, they will just pay  when I delivered their pictures in their home. That was my way to establish trust. Most photographers took down payment, 50% when they took pictures. There I learned the two  girls were living at Forbes Park in Makati. This was an exclusive village for   millionaires. 

Only the richest families lived in Forbes Park. It’s the billionaires village of Metro Manila. That was the first time, I was to deliver pictures in that most well- known village of Makati.

Few days later, I took a bus to Forbes Park. The atmosphere around the billionaires village can be seen and felt. The surroundings was fenced with tall  hollow blocks. The gate of the village was strong, formidable. There were uniformed Security Guards around. It seem to tell, it was a different place. It’s the village of the richest, most influential and powerful people of the country. I learned later, President Diosdado Macapagal and other men of wealth and power lived in Forbes Park.

I walked to the gate where several security guards were standing near the Guard House. I politely told the guard. I am a photographer. I will deliver pictures to the family on the address. I showed them the pictures I will deliver. The guards looked at me. He touched my waist around and pants down to my feet. He gave me the directions. Forbes Park was really the billionaire’s village. It was different place from all other subdivisions I saw before in Metro Manila

I knocked at the door of the home with the address. A girl opened a small window of the gate. Recognizing me, she opened the door. I came in. It was a very beautiful and expensive place. It was different from any home I saw in Iloilo. I gave the girls the pictures. They looked at their pictures..

After seeing themselves in the pictures, they were really glad. It seems, I was able to capture what they want in pictures – their beauty, modes, how they stood, their smiles.

While they were looking at the pictures, a very beautiful woman  came out from one of the rooms. I greeted her. I smiled to her. She acknowledged my greetings. Then she looked at the pictures. She told me that I took good pictures.

The beautiful woman told the girls to give me snacks. She was a foreigner. Very beautiful and also friendly. She has the bearings of a beauty queen. She told me she was leaving. She asked me to take pictures of the girls and her children at home.

While I was having my snack, I asked the girls who their lady boss is. They told me, she was Armi Kusela Hilario. She was a former Miss Universe. I gasped. I have met a Miss Universe. The most beautiful woman in the world  that time. . If I only knew, I could have shaked or kissed  her hands. 

Or,  I could have requested her to have a picture with me. Then, I could use our picture as Sample Pictures while taking pictures of local tourists in Manila. If ever, I would have  look  for a stool to stand. Armi  Kusela was a tool woman. I am glad that I have a chance to look at close range and talked for a few  minutes with a former  Miss Universe.

I learned later, Armi Kusela was  from Norway and was crowned Miss Universe, the most beautiful woman of the world. She married Virgilio Hilario, a Filipino businessman and resided here at Forbes Park.

I continued my studies at Lyceum of the Philippines. It was my 3rd Year. I took Political Science. Lyceum was considered one of the nationalists schools in the Philippines. It was founded by the family of Dr. Jose Laurel, President of the Philippines during the Japanese occupation. I heard, Senator Claro M. Recto and Senator Lorenzo Tanada, foremost nationalist senators were members of the Lyceum Board of Trustees.

When I was at Lyceum, one of his sons, Congressman Jose B. Laurel, was the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Dr. Sotero Laurel was Lyceum president. He later ran and won as Congressman in the 4th District of Manila. We helped in his campaign.

My tuition and fees at Lyceum was paid by the Philippine Veterans Administration (PVA). I was given scholarship by the government. I studied for a year under the scholarship. But a year later, when I was employed by the Philippines Herald, I gave my scholarship to my sister, Elvira, who was First Year, a working student, taking education at Central Philippine University.

My sister Elvira was a bright student. To helped her start her studies in Iloilo City, my mother accompanied her. Mother was a dressmaker and worked in a dress shop to help my sister’s tuition fees. The PVA scholarship, I waived to her, made easier her studies. She finished Education at CPU and immediately, taught at Filamer Christian College, a Baptist college in Roxas City.

Then she transferred to Carles, as principal of Carles High School. She pursued her advanced studies, under the PVA scholarship, until she finished her Masters Decree. She took her doctoral studies and got her doctor’s degree. Dr. Elvira Bernal was a national –awardee as a high school principal in the country.

At Lyceum, I met some top student who came from different parts of the country. Many students from the provinces who came to Manila were rich. Their parents were well employed with top government positions. Some where children of businessmen. Some were children of politicians.

Many were taking courses in - law, business administration, journalism, foreign service,  public administration,  and diplomacy.

Except for law, most of the courses I mentioned, were not offered in Iloilo City during that time. Many of my classmates, took business administration, foreign service, journalism, public administration and became leaders in business and government. Some joined the foreign service, some entered politics, some worked with national newspapers or started and joined newspapers in their provinces.

In Manila, during my 3rd and 4th years, I met leaders of the students. peasants and workers movements-- Labor leaders like Ignacio Lacsina, Professor Jose David Lapuz. I also met and have conversations with Prof. Pedro Lava, brother of Jesus Lava, the imprisoned Chairman of the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP) and Jose Lava, leaders of the Political Bureau of the PKP.

I also met Prof. Jose Ma. Sison, then Chairman of the Kabataang Makabayan (KM). In 1965, I became a member of the Kabataang Makabayan (KM), with Jose Sison as President. At the Lyceum, where he taught, we  often stood at Plaza Lawton, discussion things and issue that interest us. I visited there home, with his wife, where he allow me to read books that were new to me. When I was with Agence France Presse (AFP) Joe Sison came often to  visit me with his story for international release.  Few years later, he went underground and helped re-organized the Communist Party of the Philippines. It was believed, he wrote ”Philippine Society and Revolution” the bible of Philippine revolutionaries, under the pen name, Amado Guerrero.

By the middle of 1966, the students’ movement, together with the Kabataang Makabayan (KM), which was founded in 1965, started to become the strongest student movement in Manila, mobilizing rallies in Congress, the US Embassy and Malacanan, demanding end to feudalism, US imperialism and bureaucratic capitalism, the three evils of Philippine society.

The shout of the demonstrators, “Down with US Imperialism” reverberated in the corridors of Manila for years.

It was during this time that the opposition to US war in Vietnam reached a high crescendo in the later part of President Diosdado Macapagal’s rule in 1965. It reached far with President Ferdinand Marcos presidency starting November 1965 with hard implications in the life of Filipinos and the Philippines in the coming years.

I saw at a distance, during rallies Nur Misuari, who later went abroad and became the Chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). I did not met Nur Misuari. But I saw him as a potential Muslim leader for our people. Other student activists that I met were Carlos del Rosario, a militant classmate who went missing during our student days. Alberto Espinas was one of the leaders of the rally at Lyceum, when most of the glass windows of Lyceum were broken with stones hurled by the students.

This demonstrations and breaking of university glass windows reached most of the colleges in the University belt .

Alberto Espinas, who was an Ilonggo, went  back to Iloilo and helped organized Kabataang Makabayan (KM) in Panay. He also helped organized “Masang Prop” an organization of professionals in the struggle for social transformation. Alberto Espinas, was leader of the KM in Iloilo. But he was killed in early 1973 by the military together with student activists who were branded by the military as subversives and rebels.

He was part of the activists movements that organized and helped shaped the political horizons of the revolutionary movements Panay and Negros Occidental..

It was during this time in Manila, that the opposition to US war in Vietnam become stronger in the later part of President Diosdado Macapagal’s rule in 1965. Students during a rally in Malacanan, where I also joined, asked President Macapagal not to send Filipino soldiers to Vietnam. For President Macapagal was considering to send Filipino soldiers to Vietnam. On the other hand, Senator Ferdinand Marcos, said, he will not send Filipino soldiers to Vietnam. 

When President Marcos won the presidency in November 1965, one of the first decisions he made was to send the PHILCAG to Vietnam. It was part of the efforts of United States to defeat communism in Vietnam. But the US failed. The United States, using all their skills and powerful war equipment, lost the war to the Vietnamese. The US and the allied forces lost to rag tag army of Ho Chi Minh, the hero of the Vietnamese proletarian revolution.

It was also an opportunity and privilege that I was enrolled as a student of former President Diosdado Macapagal. Some months after his defeat by President Marcos, President Macapagal was persuaded to teach at Lyceum of the Philippines. I took two subjects under him that semester -- Philippine Foreign Relations and Far Eastern Relations and Problems. My background at CPU, has taught me to stand, even my knees were shaking and speak on issues that needs to be discussed.

I developed my mind to formulate questions that I asked my professors. One professor told me, I have an analytical mind. I have some question raised on President Macapagal’s lectures. He liked to be asked any question under the sun. I enrolled in two subjects under President Macapagal, for I want to see at close range how the mind of a former President of the Philippines thinks and works.

Lyceum students came from different parts of the country – from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Many of my classmates continued in advance studies. Some joined the Communist Party and the New People’s Army and went underground. They said, they will help lay the ground works for building a just society under a national democratic government thru a people’s revolution.