With full hearts, we, the family of Luis “Ka Louie” G. Jalandoni, extend our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you who have come to honor the life of a man we knew not only as a revolutionary, but as a husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle — and for many, a guiding light.
To the world, Tito Louie is remembered as a stalwart of the people’s struggle — a revolutionary diplomat, a principled negotiator, a servant of the poor, a voice of clarity in the long and difficult pursuit of just peace. But to us, he was also the man who found much joy in just being with us during Christmas and other family gatherings, in simple Bisaya meals, who quietly tended alugbati in a pot on a cold Utrecht windowsill, who spoke softly and listened intently, who greeted visitors with the same smile whether they arrived with flowers, documents, or a bunch of kamote tops from the fields.
We admire the life he chose — not because it was easy, but precisely because it was difficult. Born into a comfortable life, he chose to walk away from comfort and towards conviction. He chose to stand with the farmers of Negros instead of the landowners, to listen to the cries of the oppressed instead of the applause of the powerful, and to live in exile so that he could serve a people he loved from afar —without ever losing sight of the dream that one day, all Filipinos will live in a nation that is just, free, and dignified.
There are few lives as consistent and selfless as his. In a world often hungry for recognition and reward, Tito Louie was a man who had no attachment at all with material things. He gave without asking, fought without bitterness, and loved his country — deeply, fiercely, and completely. He believed that the struggle for a better Philippines was not just political — it was moral, it was human, and it was necessary.
He did not see himself as a hero. Even when others praised him, he would always deflect and lift others up instead. “I am only part of a bigger whole,” he would say, “and I am grateful to walk alongside those who carry the same dream.”
But to us — to his family, and to the many whose lives he quietly touched — he was indeed a hero. Not because he sought the title, but because he had the courage to carry on.
We thank you — all of you — who journeyed with him, who shared your lives with him, who challenged and supported him, who stood by him in struggle and in hope. You were his strength. You were his community. You were, in many ways, the family he chose and embraced with the same tenderness he gave us. That love gave him purpose and peace, even in the face of injustice, persecution, and exile.
And to Tita Coni, their son, their daughter-in-law, and their grandchildren — thank you for sharing him with the world. We know how much it cost, and we know how much love it took to let him be who he was fully. Your sacrifice, too, is part of his legacy.
Today, we grieve, yes. But we also rise — because Tito Louie’s life was not a story that ends in sorrow. It is a life that teaches us that another world is possible. That humility can be powerful. That quiet dignity can move nations. That one can live for others without losing oneself. And that the highest form of love is to dedicate your life to the people.
On behalf of the Jalandoni and de la Paz family, we thank you for loving him, remembering him, and for continuing what he has begun.
Paalam, Tito Louie.
Mabuhay ang iyong diwa.
Pagpupugay at pasasalamat, mula sa iyong nagmamahal na pamilya.
