The passing away of Elenita Ordonez brings us great sadness as we recall the days when we were together with her partner, Elmer, in Montreal, Canada during the 1970s and 80s. The first time we met Elenita or “Tita,” as we called her, was during a Christmas carol fundraising campaign in January 1979 on behalf of political prisoners in the Philippines. At that time, martial law in the Philippines was entering its 7th year and Filipinos abroad had been campaigning for the release of political prisoners, the restoration of civil liberties and supporting the national democratic struggle.
Tita, Elmer and members of the solidarity group came to our apartment to sing Christmas carols and progressive songs from the national democratic movement. This was the activity in Montreal that propelled us to join and be engaged in the support and solidarity movement for human rights and the restoration of civil liberties in the Philippines. Tita and Elmer were pioneers and leaders of this movement, which eventually spread across the country and continues today as part of the progressive movement of Filipinos and Filipino Canadians in Canada.
Throughout their stay in Montreal and in our continuous association with them, Elmer and Tita had always been consistent and uncompromising in their support for and solidarity with the struggle of the Filipino people for social and national liberation. Tita was always present in all of our major political, fundraising and other solidarity activities. For us who joined this progressive movement of Filipinos, Tita was an inspiration and a model to follow in building a support and solidarity network. She was among the first who planted the seeds of progressive and militant politics within the Filipino community—a progressive politics that eventually grew and expanded nationwide within the Filipino Canadian community. This pioneering work has earned Tita a rightful place in the history of Filipinos in Canada and the progressive Filipino Canadian movement.
Today, this progressive movement is represented by the Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians—an umbrella organization of youth, women and immigrant workers of Philippine origin that works for the genuine settlement and integration of Filipinos, along with their full entitlement and participation in all facets of Canadian society.
Tita, we are all thankful for your pioneering efforts and in helping plant the seeds of progressive politics in the Filipino Canadian community. You will forever live in the hearts and memories of Filipino Canadians who cherish the struggle for democracy, human rights and international solidarity. You are part of the collective history of our continuing struggle for genuine settlement and integration in Canadian society.
Cecilia Diocson and Emmanuel Sayo
On behalf of the Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians