Ka Bel

It was devastating news. The untimely death of Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran hit hard.

For those who have had the opportunity to work closely with Ka Bel would know how endearing he was. His smile, always genuine. He always had a firm handshake, a warm hug, a good word to spare.

Knowing how he was despite of who he was is very very humbling indeed.

This member of the House of Representatives lived a very simple and modest life. Before transferring to the single-room, unpainted Bulacan home where he met his death, he lived in an urban poor community not far from the Batasan Complex and not far from the garbage dump, Payatas.

That Ka Bel died from a fall, trying to repair his leaking roof was just so like Ka Bel. Knowing Ka Bel as the hard-working, hands-on, stubborn lolo that he is, of course he would insist on going up the ladder himself.

Just as he would insist on his principles, on his long discussions on labor issues, the urban poor and the poverty of the Filipino masses. Just as he would insist on wearing a “devil GMA” shirt under his barong tagalog during Congress sessions. Just as he would insist on marching during rallies despite his health.

He served, fought and live to the fullest. He insisted on doing so.

He loved to drink coffee. Almost always, South wing 602 of the Hosue of Representatives where he held office would sport the aroma of percolating brewed coffee. Never mind that he has hypertension, diabetes and a heart ailment that should have kept him from having his cup of coffee. He would insist on it.

On his 75th birthday last January, I held in my hand a brownie slice of sinfully sweet food for the gods. Like a child he took it from my hand as I greeted him happy birthday. He looked at it, beamed like a naughty boy and as he opened it, he said, “Bawal sa akin ‘to!” and munched. I prayed and am thankful his blood sugar didn’t shoot up that very moment.

A doting great grandfather to his great grandchildren, he was a great grandfather to many young activists like me. A rare icon of the Philippine labor movement.

Ka Bel’s demise is an intense loss on the militant labor and people’s movement. He was and is very much loved and he will be sorely missed.

Diwin

My nephew Diwin is one month old today!

His parents say his name Diwin means “to mold” as in works of pottery or “to create”.

And that’s exactly what this little bundle of joy does. Cuteness talaga!!!

He has so far molded his mother into a full-grown fulfilled, proud, breastfeeding mother who now sends out emails announcing Diwin’s 1st month of existence.

He has created much ruckus and happiness in the home. He commands everyone’s attention at the slightest whimper. He has everyone breaking into laughs with one tiny smile, a burp and even with a fart.

We have created a blog for Diwin. And like my nephew, it is a cute work in progress.

Wala lang.. this is a proud tita’s blog..

Hello BLOG world!

So my friends Tonyo and Ina will finally say, sa wakas  may blog ka na rin… and I finally got to getting this well, wordpress standard hello world maiden post  that goes:

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!

So its me and my handy Kendra out to explore this side of the world and see what good it will do me and the other way around.

I am admittedly not inclined towards making my thoughts public. I am not exactly a very public person, though many would believe otherwise– the loud and sometimes even theatrical person that I can be.

Believe me, I’m shy!

Let me just say, this blog and its entries isn’t necessarily me… or all of me. This is the icing on my cake, the pinipig on my ice cream, the leche flan on my halo-halo, the garlic on my goto, the latik on my biko, the niyog on my puto..

So its hello i guess..