Imagining a different Edjop
- The author reflects on Edgar Jopson's life and the theme of empathy in his journey, emphasizing that imagining alternative paths for him is ultimately pointless.
- Edjop, a prominent figure in the U.G. movement, rejected elitism and sought to be part of the struggles of the masses, demonstrating quiet courage and conviction in his activism.
- His significant contributions to the labor movement showcased his dedication to serving the people without seeking public recognition.
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I had imagined a conversation with Edgar Jopson while I was writing about Edjop’s journey in U.G. An Underground Tale.
“You could have taken a different path, Kuya (bro), and accomplished so much more,” I would say.
“You really believe that, Boying?” he would reply and smile. I’d smile back and respond: “Not really, Kuya.”
I spent years tracing Edjop’s odyssey and several decades trying to understand what it all meant.
Imagining a different path for Edjop is a pointless exercise, of course. Yes, it’s interesting to think about different scenarios, different outcomes for what undoubtedly was an incredible life.
Would Edjop have reshaped, as he was already doing before his death, the U.G. (underground) movement into a more dynamic and progressive, less dogmatically violent political force?
Would he have returned aboveground to play an influential role in the country’s political development after the fall of the Marcos dictatorship?
Again, an interesting, but ultimately pointless exercise.
After 40 years reflecting on Edjop’s story, I realize that his journey revolves around one important theme: empathy.
It’s a value that’s been under attack lately. Elon Musk famously (or infamously) dismissed empathy as the “fundamental weakness of Western Civilization.”
Edjop’s story is a resounding rejection of that narrow-minded, cynical view. His journey was an affirmation of the importance of empathy and solidarity, of the ability to see the pain and struggles of others and the courage to understand more and even embrace those struggles.
As a true blue Atenista, Edjop embraced the school’s “Down from the hill” dictum. But he also came to reject the elitist tenor of the Ateneo motto. He didn’t see himself as the savior descending from the mountain to help the lowly masses.
He wanted to be part of their lives, their struggles. He wanted — to borrow from American socialist Eugene Debs — to rise with the masses, not from them.
Edjop probably would have felt uneasy about all the attention to his life story thanks to the powerful film (which opened in Philippine cinemas on Wednesday, September 16) starring Elijah Canlas, Frankie Pangilinan and Jodi Sta. Maria, directed by Katski Flores and produced by his daughter Joyette. (READ: Encounters with Joy and sadness in ‘Edjop’ film release)
Edjop had been a famous public figure before joining the U.G. He was the young man who led the First Quarter Storm rallies, who had a tense meeting with Ferdinand Marcos and who was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the country. (READ: Edjop, Imelda Marcos, and the fear of forgetting)
But the spotlight would probably have felt odd for him. Because eventually, the life he embraced meant rejecting the spotlight for something deeper, more meaningful.
And he embraced that life quietly, without the media and social media fanfare political and showbiz figures typically enjoy.
Edjop did not post a tweet to announce: “I am Edgar Jopson and I have decided to join the U.G. movement against tyranny.” He did not create a TikTok video or post a Facebook message, declaring: “I am giving up my comfortable life of privilege to help the masses.” (Those didn’t exist back then, of course.)
He didn’t have a publicist who arranged media interviews and appearances to explain his decision to embrace the struggles of workers and the poor.
He just did it. Quietly. With courage and conviction.
Whenever I reread U.G., I inevitably look for my favorite parts of Edjop’s journey which I felt illustrated his evolution into a person, a leader with empathy.
Edjop as labor organizer
One is Chapter 17 titled “Union Man,” about his years as labor organizer. That was his first job after graduating with a management engineering degree from Ateneo.
That degree prepared him for what should have been a stellar career in the corporate world. Edjop opted to use what he learned from Ateneo’s prestigious management program to help the people who typically get screwed in the corporate world: workers.
Edjop, according to his comrades from his union days, became a pain in the neck for management during contract negotiations.
“Edjop was perfect at the negotiating table,” Ricky Nolasco, who worked with Edjop during those years and is now a linguistics professor at the University of the Philippines told me.
“For a small guy, he had a big voice and the bearing of a professional. He never tried to bluff his way through a point. No manager could talk circles around him. In fact, at times, it was Edjop who did the fancy talk, though he was always armed with hard facts.”
Edjop actually immersed himself into the world of workers. He practically lived for a year with Felicing Villados, a leader of a local rope factory union, and his wife Fe. “Ka (Elder) Felicing” was a ninong (godfather) at Edjop and Joy’s wedding.
Edjop tried to keep a low profile as he tried to learn what being a labor organizer was all about, and to understand the lives of the people he hoped to organize. But with his education and training, he inevitably stood out. Workers turned to him for leadership. This became a problem. Edjop did not want to antagonize the more senior, traditional union leaders who he thought would feel threatened by his rise.
The situation came to a head at a union election when workers wanted Edjop to serve as vice president. As Edjop expected, some of the traditional leaders pushed back, arguing that he was technically not a member of a factory-based union.
What happened next stunned the assembly. It also underscored Edjop’s character.
A factory union leader stood and said “We hereby recognize Edgar Jopson as a member.” And others followed. Soon, the assembly was chanting, “We want Ed! We want Ed!”
But Edjop wavered. He wanted to decline the nomination. His comrades urged him to change his mind. Some were in tears and were even angry that he was hesitating. Eventually, he accepted and won overwhelmingly. “He was conscious about being seen as a man with personal ambitions,” one of his comrades told me.
Two years later, Edjop played an even more critical role in the labor movement. Again, there were no cameras, no media coverage.
Few Filipinos have probably heard of the La Tondena strike of 1975. But it was a turning point in the fight against the Marcos dictatorship, the daring protest that convinced countless students, priests and nuns to join the movement against the regime.
The strike was eventually broken up but the mass action smashed the wall of silence and fear. The workers, joined by students, priests and nuns embraced the slogan, “Tama Na! Sobra Na! Welga Na! (Enough! We’ve had enough! Strike now!)” which a decade later would be revised for the final confrontation with the dictatorship. “Tama Na! Sobra Na! Palitan Na! (Enough! We’ve had enough! Time for a change!)”
Edjop led the strike. And it was probably one of the toughest roles he ever took on.
He was already in hiding then. He had to lead from a UG safehouse near the factory. He could not join the works on the picketline. He and his comrades could not be where the action was.
A Belgian priest and expat, Leopold Van Vugt, who took part in the strike, shared his thoughts about Edjop and the strike when I was working on his biography.
His initial impression of Edjop wasn’t flattering. “One would have thought he was a coward. Sometimes I got the impression that he was afraid,” Father Leopold, who died in 2018, told me in a handwritten note. “Looking back, after all that has happened, I realize that Edjop was a courageous man.”
And Edjop’s was a quiet form of courage. This made his story truly inspiring.
One of the first people I interviewed for the book was the late activist Gani Serrano, who was with Edjop in the underground in the early ’70s. I asked what he thought moved Edjop. I still remember how Gani thought for a second and then answered with conviction.
“What do I think moved him? An honest to goodness desire to serve the people.” – Rappler.com
Benjamin Pimentel is the author of ‘U.G. An Underground Tale.’ He is also a journalist and technology editor based in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA. Royalties from ‘U.G.’ are donated to Bantayog ng Mga Bayani.
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