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A voyager sailing away: tribute to Pepe Manegdeg

Indirect tactics, efficiently applied, are inexhaustible
as Heaven and Earth, unending as the flow of rivers and streams;
like the sun and moon, they end but to begin anew; like the four
seasons, they pass away to return once more.
- The Art of War, Sun Tzu

It has been years since the Filipino people celebrate November 30 as Andres Bonifacio Day. Bonifacio advanced the interests of the working class. He was the father of the old Philippine revolution. He was killed, shot to death because of what he fought for.

A century since Bonifacio’s death, people still continue what he battled for. Countless martyrs cloud over our midst. And just last November 28, another activist was killed. Son. Brother. Husband. Father. Church person. Jose “Pepe” Manegdeg III.

I don’t know Pepe. We never met, nor have I read any of his works. The only time I saw him was when he was in the casket, lying lifeless yet I could feel his presence among the people he worked with, he knew, he shared his life with. I don’t know Pepe, though I heard wonderful stories about his life lived to the fullest. It was hard not to cry for him. Somehow I felt I knew him.

Pepe that was, is, will always be

In 1987, Pepe was only first year college student when he served as a volunteer for the Clergy Laity Formation Program (CLFP)-Northern Luzon, with its office based here in Baguio. As a student and a volunteer, his first task when he joined CLFP was to do clippings and some research for documentation.

“Tahimik yang si Pepe. Basta pagdating sa office, clippings na agad,” one friend confesses. And when he gets home, he’d still be doing the clippings. When he gets a little tired, he would read books of Robert Ludlum (also one of my favorite spy-thriller authors).

Pepe’s officemates read Tyrant from the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Letter to the Editor, which was written by Pepe. They then discovered he too was a skilled writer. Then in 1988 and until 1992, the first publication of CLFP called Kenosis Ecumenical Publications hailed Pepe as its first editor-in-chief. The paper’s name was the Greek for kenôsis or “self emptying,” from the phrase in Philippians 2:7 heauton ekenôse “emptied himself.” Truly, Pepe emptied himself to fulfill his tasks as the EIC. Though he tried to go back to school, he found himself wanting more of what he does. He opted to go full time, and never left his work unattended since Bishops, nuns, priests, clergymen and church people all over Northern Luzon read and were enlightened by his works.

The CLFP people had a facilitators’ training, and Pepe was one of the participants. One officemate joked that he too, should be then the next facilitator. Hesitant Pepe had a speech impediment, thus making him insecure whenever he spoke.

“Bulol si Pepe, minsan yung ‘L’ nya nagiging ‘R.’ Yung ‘R’ nagiging ‘L.’ Pero in the end, naigpawan niya yun (speech insecurity), kaya naging kasama siya sa community organizing,” his friend shares.

From 1993 to 1997, Pepe was assigned to Cagayan Valley for the Basic Christian Community-Community Organizing (BCC-CO). At that time, he joined the fact-finding mission teams to Marag Valley and Isabela to document and take pictures of then bombing situation. He helped organize the internal refugees of Isabela.

“Biyahero si Pepe. Punta ng Sta. Rita, Pamplona, iba pang towns na ino-organize. Research, documentation, tapos publication inaasikaso niya. Masipag talaga yan. Masarap kapartner. Tsaka kapag deadline, deadline talaga. Tapos yan. He comes well prepared for the job. Kumbaga, excellence ang lagi niyang habol,” his co-worker of more than a decade tells me.

He was a ceaseless, independent fast learner. He had no reservations about serving the people. In 1998, he became a staff member of the Regional Ecumenical Council in the Cordillera (RECCORD). From 2000 to present, he juggled time being regional director for RECCORD and Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP)- Cordillera and Ilocos. This year, he too was a staff member of the Regional Development Center-Katinnulong dagiti Umili iti Amianan (RCD-Kaduami), and editorial staff member of Writing on the Wall, the official publication of the Northern Luzon Forum for Church and Society.

A companion, son, husband, father of the masses

Sometime in the 1980s, Pepe’s father was shot to death in front of their house in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. He swore to his father’s body that he’d get back at those who violated him. What at first was Pepe’s personal vendetta changed upon joining political organization which gradually flourishedthrough the years.

“We saw him grow through the years. Dating bunso, nakita namin ang husay. Mahusay siya. Marami siyang naging kaibigan, kasama. Kumbaga holistic growth. Nakakilala ako ng isang diamante,” his co-worker shares.

His wife tells us how she and funny Pepe met. “Pwede ba kitang maging comprehensive friend?’ Sabi sa ‘kin ni Pepe. Sa isip ko, ‘What’s a comprehensive friend?’ How grim and determined naman pala si Pepe. Pero sabi ko din, ‘O, sige, mukang very interesting naman.’ Only now would I fully understand what he meant. He wanted a sister, a friend, who would understand what he does, what he fights for. Binahagi niya sa akin ang struggles niya, sabay namin nilagpasan ang kamalian ng bawat isa, pinalakas ang bawat isa,” Pepe’s wife strongly shares amid almost crying.

Their relationship as husband and wife was never bound in a feudal way. “Malayang pagmamahalan. Hindi niya lang ako tagatimpla ng kape, tagalaba. Tumulong siyang buuin ang pagkatao ko, tumulong siya upang ako’y maging matatag, upang ako’y imulat. Ipagpatuloy ko ang pinunla niya sa aking puso,” Pepe’s wife tells the people.

Florence Macagne-Manegdeg, Pepe’s wife, bought for him a book by Sun Tzu three days before she was to go home to the Philippines and be with her husband and kids.

Pepe’s in-laws also talked about him, how they loved him dearly as if he was their own son too. “Walang kasalanan si Pepe. Napakabait niyang tao. Masipag,” his mother-in-law remorsefully reminisced.

His 9-year-old daughter shares what she could say about Pepe as a father, “Si Papa napakabait, napakasipag. Ibinigay niya lahat ng kanyang makakaya sa amin at sa bayan. We love him much more than he loved us.” For us who were listening, it was very difficult to hold back the tears.

A lot of people from different provinces and churches went to Pepe’s wake. His wife says she doesn’t even know some of them. “Si Pepe ay hindi akin. Anak, kapatid, asawa ng Bayan. We are so proud of Pepe. Sa mga pumatay sa kanya, mahal pa rin kayo ni Pepe. Ngunit sana mabuksan ang inyong puso sa katotohanan upang makita ang ginto sa mga pinaglalaban natin. You have fallen a golden life. You have wasted your bullets. We will keep our hearts burning,” she concludes the wake at the Chapel; the crowd soaked in mixed bittersweet laughter and tears.

End for a new beginning

At the wake, there was Pepe’s vibrant picture. His eyes are deep set, deepened by his years of writing, staring through space filled by his bright ideas for more beautiful, enlightening works and words. His skin is darkened by the scorching sun from the years he traveled in towns he helped and organized. His smile lingers as he once spoke beautifully to the people with whom he wanted to share the teachings of the church.

Pepe is within us. We cannot let any more Pepe’s left lifeless.

Now I could say, “It was a pleasure knowing you, Pepe.”# Pink-Jean Fangon-Melegrito for NORDIS

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