Medardo Roda, pillar of Philippine drivers’ movement, passes away

Pioneer of the progressive and militant drivers’ movement in the country, staunch fighter for the rights of the marginalized, and a most endeared transport leader for many drivers and poor people, Medardo “Ka Roda” Roda, passed away on September 5 due to cardiac arrest.

Ka Roda, arguably one of the most well known and undoubtedly one of the most well-loved transport leaders the country has ever had, is the Chairman Emeritus of PISTON (Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide) until he died. PISTON is one of the federations under Kilusang Mayo Uno and is the organization where Ka Roda concretized his struggle for nationalism and genuine democracy for more than 30 years.

From peasant to driver, early hardwork and engagement

Born on October 27, 1934, to a peasant family in Libmanan, Camarines Sur, Ka Roda started tilling farm fields at age 12. In between school, he regularly helped his father in the farm. He went to Bicol Central Academy and was a consistent student leader until he finished high school in 1954.

He went to Manila after high school to search for a livelihood that could finance him to college. He stayed with his brother in Cavite who was a body guard-driver to then Senator Justiniano Montano. The Montanos gave him employment and sent him to an automotive school in 1957. When he finished the short course, he was asked to assist in managing the car rental business of Ciriaco Montano, the eldest son of the senator. 

He left the job in 1960 and started driving a taxi in the 8th of July of that year, as Ka Roda exactly recalled. After becoming a hold-up victim for the fourth time in 1978, he decided to quit being a taxi driver. 

Ka Roda transferred to jeepney driving, and started to ply the Cubao-V Luna route. There he was exposed to meetings and discussions of transport organizations, where he was always vocal and active. He was quickly elected as president of the local drivers’ and operators’ association.

Leading drivers against a dictator

KMU was then consolidating its ‘transport committee’ which led to the founding of PISTON in 1981. In July 1981, Ka Roda was elected as Third Vice President of the organization. After a few months, he eventually took over as President of PISTON. 

One of the first campaigns he led was the scrapping of PD 1605, which cancels a driver’s license on his third offense in the street, no matter how small it is.  When they hold transport strikes, Ka Roda remembered how mad the Quezon City Mayor’s office was to them, as they could really paralyze the streets.

Because of their strong protests against government exploitation of drivers, oil price hikes, and people’s issues as well, Ka Roda easily earned the ire of the Marcos regime.  On September 5, 1983, he was arrested and charged with rebellion under the Arrest, Seize and Seizure Order (ASSO). He was arrested together with other KMU leaders, like Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran, who were ‘cracked down’ in August to September of that year.

After one year and three months, Ka Roda and some of his colleagues managed to win for their release. 

From Marcos fan to enemy

Marcos would never know that he would find such a staunch enemy with Ka Roda, as the latter was actually his fan before. “I guess, it’s my admiration for effective law enforcement or my experience with the robbers that drew me closer to liking the Martial law,” Ka Roda said in an interview with the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights.

But when Ka Roda started to pay attention to the problems faced by drivers, enagaged in educational discussions with them, and determined the roots of the crises that plagued drivers and majority of the Filipinos alike, he became certain about the accountability of the state – ruled by Marcos then and led by Noynoy Aquino now.

Ka roda even recalled of how Marcos eventually tagged him: “the most rebellious driver the Philippines ever had. Gago talaga si Marcos,” Ka Roda said in a video tribute ‘Ruta ni Ka Roda’ by Kodao Productions.

Ka Roda was also arrested by succeeding regimes, in 1988 and 1990.

Loved by comrades

Ka Roda is one progressive leader who can cite specific provisions of the Philippine Constitution to use it against wrongdoings of the government itself. In a tribute held last February 14, 2009 entitled ‘Labs Ko Si Ka Roda,’ current Anakpawis Partylist Representative Rafael Mariano recited some of Ka Roda’s favorite lines: “Public office is a public trust… Sovereignty resides in the people”. To which, Ka Roda quickly added “..and all government authority emanates from them.”

Ka Roda was also known to be cheerful and entertaining to his comrades. His colleagues also remember ka Roda as one who can remain cool and clear-headed when engaging in debates within the organization. 

Sickness and continuing struggle

Ka Roda was attacked by stroke in February of 2002. The left side of his body was paralyzed. But despite his condition, he continued to give valuable opinions on how to better advance the struggle of drivers’ and people’s movements.

He suffered more strokes in 2002 and 2003. On his fifth stroke on September 2 last week, he was confined at the East Avenue Medical Center. Then after days of struggling in the hospital, a cardiac arrest due to multiple seizures took away his life at 2:20pm on September 5.

Ka Roda is a proud father of seven, five daughters and two sons, to a loving wife Teresita Yunzon Velasquez. 

His remains will lie at St. Peter Memorial Chapel, Quezon Avenue from the morning of September 6th. Drivers, workers, and people’s organizations will pay tribute to him in the nights of his wake, and vow to continue his struggles. #