With much sorrow, we send our condolences to the family and friends of Mel de Vera. Mel was an enduring campaigner at LRC, first in Mindanao and then called on for our national work. He wore many hats—coordinator, facilitator…we were about to add illustrator (Mel was supposed to illustrate handbooks for communities, to be paid for with warm affection and unlimited snacks). Mel tackled mining issues and put our environmental human rights defenders work to the fore. More recently, he was working on developing security plans for various communities under siege.
Mel felt things deeply, angered by injustice and fueled to resist by the activist’s hope. Mel was a steadfast comrade, he would push an argument to its sharpest point just as his hugs were warm and comforting. Mel was a slayer of trolls, brewing good mean coffee in between.
Ang nakikibaka ay isang mangingibig. Mel loved his family dearly, scrambling to tidy soon as he hears Che is coming home from fieldwork and was a doting and proud father to Ayi. He loved his parents. Mel liked to “doodle,” when he ran out of notebook pages, tissue paper and paper bags became his canvass. Later, he would become Ikabod sharing more of his art.
Mel would be met by the grungiest of angels rocking the Stones’ Paint It Black or, ever gently, Itsumo Nando Demo. We imagine he would like that. Padayon ta, as Mel would wish— now watching over this heating planet (over beer with Ka Omeng)—“making the ten feel like a hundred.” Salamat, bai. Rest in power, Mel.
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