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Inspiring Pioneer of Philippine Drivers’ Movement Gave His Final ‘Boundary’ Published on September 11, 2010

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Inspiring Pioneer of Philippine Drivers’ Movement Gave His Final ‘Boundary’

Published on September 11, 2010


By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL and MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — Medardo Roda, “Ka Roda” to friends and foes, the tall figure that rallied drivers and operators to the Philippine progressive drivers’ movement from the time PISTON was formed in 1981 to this decade, the well-remembered voice of the marginalized that tirelessly rail at the connivance of the Philippine state and oil cartel against workers and transport drivers, yet sing also of love for one’s country and cracked jokes, passed away on September 5 due to cardiac arrest.


On Valentine’s Day last year, more than 350 people gathered to pay tribute to Ka Roda. (Photo by Ronalyn V. Olea / bulatlat.com)
As the pioneering leader and later Chairman Emeritus of PISTON (Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide), Ka Roda, as the KMU put it, is unarguably the most famous and most well-loved transport leader this country has ever had. His towering presence, literally and figuratively, in the struggle for just treatment of transport workers and of the marginalized sectors in general, inspires the younger progressive transport leaders and stymies the yellow transport leaders into ignominy by comparison.

PISTON is one of the national federations affiliated with the Kilusang Mayo Uno; it is the organization where Ka Roda mostly concretized his struggle for national freedom and genuine democracy for more than 30 years..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://www.bulatlat.com/main/2010/09/11/inspiring-pioneer-of-philippine-drivers%E2%80%99-movement-gave-his-final-%E2%80%98boundary%E2%80%99/

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