A Loving Tribute to Ka Fidel

Let me share my thoughts and feelings as my share in remembering Ka
Fidel’s great contribution for the peoples’ movement and our common desire for peace.

I cried for the great loss for the movement, family and friends with
Ka Fidel’s demise.

It comes to my mind now and recollect Ka Fidel’s long history of contributions to the movement in its various stages of growth. We, three activist siblings – my martyred brother Magtangol worked with K Fidel shortly before martial law; our youngest brother Pat during Martial Law whence the two of them would be apprehended & subsequently detained; & yours truly, had the honor to work with Ka Fidel’s dynamic steering of the
latest round of peace talks under the present dispensation.

But way back here in the Philippines during the hard days of underground
life during the early martial law years, Ka Fidel or Pidolps – as we
call him with endearment – would visit our UG house to bring us our
monthly provisions, reading materials and other supplies for our
production work.

Moreover, we happened also to be neighbors in the original Bicutan
Rehabilitation Center where Ka Fidel – being the longest detainee –
would warmly wave his hands to newly released detainee/s from the
window of his isolation detention adjacent to the building to most of
us detainees. Pabirong sabi nga ng iba, “datnan at panawan daw si Ka
Fidel ng mga detainees”. Pero nakangiti pa rin sya at nanatiling
matatag habang kumakaway ng kanyang paalam!

Again, Ka Fidel is an all around indefatigable worker and took up any
kind of work without second thought. One example, he would pick us up
from Schipol & drove us to Utrecht & back to Schipol after the first
rounds of the peace talks. And he would do this “one-man welcoming
committee at the airport” (as everyone would tease him
then) routinely with other visiting friends for some years.

Lately, as Chair of the NDFP’s negotiating panel, Ka Fidel ably
steered our ship in advancing the unfinished peace process.

As my Facebook friend in this social media era, I will not forget Ka Fidel’s
one week advance birthday greetings for us his Facebook friends and his rare thumbs up LIKES in our posts in our group chat!

We will also miss your jokes and banters Ka Fidel!

Our family joins everyone’s grief over Ka Fidel’s death!

Lualhati Roque-Baylosis & Raffy Baylosis
NDFP Peace Consultants