January is the first month of the Christian and Western Civilization’s year. The Chinese New Year, usually, also occurs in January.
In the USA, the President’s four-year term starts and ends on January 20.
Under the 1935 Philippine Constitution, the terms of elected officials from the President down to the Municipal Councilors, started and ended at high noon on December 30, Rizal Day.
This was only changed under the 1987 Cory Constitution to noon of June 30.
Our National and Local Fiscal Budgets and Fiscal Year begin on January 1 and end on December 31. They used to begin on either June 1 or October 1.
Height Of Activism
While I was married on Saturday, December 19, 1970, my life almost ended on Wednesday, January 13, 1971, less than a month later.
We had just experienced our first Luzon wide black out. On that day we had the most successful transport strike in Philippine History. In Metro Manila, all public transport had stopped. Private vehicles were also scarce on the roads, out of fear of possible violence. The use of violence was a necessary ingredient of a successful Transport Strike. Buses were burned.
Student and Youth Activism and the Protest Movement was split between Moderates and Radicals.
On that day, we, Moderates, marched and rallied in the morning and the Radicals marched and rallied in the afternoon.
I Was Trailed
The organization, Kapulungan ng mga Sandigan ng Pilipinas (KASAPI), of which, I was the chairman, was using some offices and classrooms at the pre-WW II buildings of the Ateneo de Manila Law and Graduate Schools at Padre Faura (Manila) campus.
We had a post-rally meeting of about 50 leaders of jeepney organizations in one of the big classrooms and about 500 rallyists, both drivers and students and youth, were in the parking grounds of the campus.
While I was on observation and reconnaissance of the Radicals afternoon march, the Philippine Constabulary Metropolitan Commands Metrocom Police Intelligence Service (future MISG) had picked up my trail.
They mistakenly identified my car and its occupants as the armed element of the Radicals.
… And Chased
When the marches converged at Plaza Miranda, I touched base at the rally back stage at the eastern R. Hidalgo, Lacson/Quiapo underpass entrance.
Then, on my way back to Padre Faura, I gave a ride to two radical friends, Sixto Carlos and Christine Ebro (veteran leaders of the Samahan ng Demokratikong Kabataan or SDK and Jose Maria Sison’s Exile in The Hague, Netherlands).
We were accosted by an MISG team composed of two unmarked cars with eight troopers in civilian garb at Juan Luna St. corner Padre Faura St. (opposite the Paco Cemetery).
As we sped off, we were chased and fired upon all the way to the parking lot at the rear of the Ateneo campus.
Barely Escaped
The eight intelligence troopers consumed more than a hundred rounds of .45 caliber pistol and more than a hundred rounds of .30 carbine bullets. They ran out of ammo and were beaten up by our activists and drivers.
Meanwhile, I called MPD Deputy Chief of Police James Barbers for police assistance, while the outnumbered MISG team called for a battalion of anti–riot troops from Colonel Agudon’s Reaction Strike Force aboard a uniformed car and ten six by six trucks.
I said goodbye to my two passengers, got out of my car (1965 yellow and black Ford Germany Taunus 17 M), merged with the crowd.
Then, I slipped into the Rizal Room (office of my uncle, former Ateneo de Cagayan/Xavier University and twice Ateneo de Manila University President) changed clothes, confused and obstructed the PC Metrocom RSF Battalion.
Later, I hitched a ride with Fr. John Carroll, S.J. to Plaza Miranda, stepped into the dispersal of the Radical rally, took shelter in Jake Almeda Lopez’s ABS CBN TV coaster and finally escaped to the National Press Club, courtesy of the Herald’s Bobby Ordonez.
Since High School Days
I was already inclined to become an Activist in my High School years (1962 – 1966, Ateneo de Manila). However, I was the Air Force Pre-Military Training corps commander in the second semester of my senior year.
I was formally recruited into the Blanco (Fr. Jose, S. J.) – Quintos (History Professor Rolando ‘Rolly’) group during my freshman college summer session (Advanced Mathematics) of 1966.
We went out of Loyola Heights and set up shop at Manila’s University Belt. We had an office right in front of UST’s main gate on Calle España.
Social Democrats
For almost four years, we conscienticized, organized, recruited and trained, methodically and quietly, except for a few instances. We held three day/two night, “Basic Orientation Seminars” every weekend except on Christmas, New Year and Holy Week.
We graduated 5,000 to 10,000 potential “cadres”.
Our ideology was a Filipino adaptation of Christian Democracy/Socialism and Social Democracy/Democratic Socialism.
At first, we were called Moderates. Later on as Soc Dems.
We participated in the Federation of Free Farmers’ (FFF) Camp Out and Vigil at the AgriFina Circle, and the LAPVIIR’s Camp Out and Vigil at the San Miguel Pro–Cathedral.