Celebrating Ka Bel's life, struggles, and legacy

We had to break an important meeting to attend the launch of Ina Alleco R Silverio’s first book Ka Bel: The Life and Struggles of Crispin Beltran at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani last June 4. I drove like a man possessed just to be in time and I was, with plenty to spare. It took me one and half hours to drive to the meeting venue; I reached Bantayog in 45 minutes with four nervous ladies as passengers.

I had a special guest for the launching. I invited University of King’s College School of Journalism chair and Canadian Broadcasting Corp’s Kim Kierans. I wanted her to have a signed copy of the book—Ina’s first as well as Ka Bel’s first biography. Prof Kierans met Ka Bel when we interviewed the late great labor leader at the Heart Center in 2006. She liked the interview and the interviewee (who gave her a bagful of ripening mangoes after). The hospital was Ka Bel's prison at the time but it was somehow fitting as the man was all heart to everything anyway. Prof Kierans condoled all the way from Canada when Ka Bel died two year back.

Too bad Pom was busy playing “big little sister” and was sad to be absent at the launch. She is not one to adore mass leaders easily but she loved Ka Bel as much as she adores Ka Satur and Emmie de Jesus. That’s huge.

It was raining yesterday. The program started an hour late because of some electrical issues. The venue was too small for such a momentous event. The mic stand was busted that even duct tape failed to help. The publisher and emcee, Joel Garduce, spoke too slowly. But all these conspired to make the launch even more heart-warming. The late start because of power problems allowed those who had trouble finding cabs because of the rains to catch the opening. Those who have to stand at the back did not mind as it was the least they could do to honor Ka Bel’s great memory. Those who could no longer enter the auditorium had a good time catching up with old friends who also came in late. Even Joel’s slow drawl was okay because no one wanted the launch to end quickly anyway.

Prof Kierans said we knew how to launch books. She was also happy that there were many young people present. She said that in Canada, “old fogeys” read excerpts for some minutes and that would be it. She certainly had difficulty following the speeches and the poems in Filipino but I think she enjoyed the Nato Reyes and Sarah Katrina Maramag’s rendition of the Beatles’ “All My Life.” She was wowed by Tony Palis’ guitar wizardry and I hope she caught some lines of JMS’ “The Forest is Still Enchanted” played and sung by its composer Tony and accompanied on the harmonica by Nato. I am sure she liked Axel Pinpin’s colourful aura. I only wished she could understand Axel’s second poem, a fresh one just for the occasion. (Hey, Bulatlat! Be the first to publish it!) Ka Bien Lumbera’s mere presence already guarantees an event’s success. And the rest of the speeches were short and sweet. Perfect.

I was happy for my Kodao colleague Cris Balleta. I assigned him to be in charge of the coverage as Jola and I were to come from the abovementioned meeting. Very few journalists could cover a book launch about their granddads and get to interview their grandmoms. I was sad though that Cris’ sister Jane was not there to share with the happiness. Jane is, of course, in prison as a Morong 43 political detainee.

Everyone fought bravely to keep tears in check. It wasn’t a time to grieve Ka Bel’s untimely passing anyway. It was a time to celebrate his life, struggles and legacy. Ina summoned all her strength not to cry. I remember her, very pregnant and weak with grief, crying before Ka Bel coffin two years back. This time, there was relief in her eyes for a deeply personal mission completed.

Prof Kim, Pom and I had a delightful dinner nearby afterwards. I am sure she is happy with her signed copy as Pom and I were with ours.

Ina let me read the opening chapters sometime late last year. But it was a delight rereading them again and it’s a delight reading the rest of the book. Upon reaching home I told Pom she could read it first as I am still not finished reading another. But I dumped the other book anyway and went ahead reading “Ka Bel” first.

Thanks, Prof Kim for a delightful evening. Thanks Ina and Southern Voices for this treasure. And thanks to Ka Bel for everything—including hope his life gave and now symbolizes for the working classes of the world.