Manuel “Manny” C. Tan

April 28, 1964 – December 23, 2018

From the FB Page created by Prof. Judy Taguiwalo:

Manny  was the third of six children of Benedicto and Finaflor Tan. His father, Daddy Benny,  was a hardworking, self-made Certified Public Accountant (CPA). His mother, Mommy Finita, was a pulmonologist. Both of his parents hail from Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija. His parents were active church and community leaders. Their home was always full of people, seeking Daddy Benny’s advice or getting free medical check-ups from Dra. Finita.

Their house was also home to many of their cousins and other relatives who were based in the province but came to Manila to study and work. From his parents, Manny developed this strong sense of public service, of sharing and giving, especially to those who needed it most.  

His parents valued a solid Catholic education. Manny and his brothers studied in Lourdes School in Quezon City. His sisters studied in St. Theresa’s College or St Mary’s College in Quezon City. Since grade school, Manny excelled academically. He could not do the same though in sports as he wanted due to his asthma. 

However, he was active in many extracurricular activities, especially in the performing arts.  He was a member of theater groups and choirs, in school, and in their parish. He played piano and the guitar, composed songs, wrote poetry, and wrote short plays for their community theater. 

According to his friends, masarap kasama si Manny kasi madaldal, maraming kwento, makwela, maraming jokes, at palatawa kahit madalas hinihika sa kakatawa. Ika nga ni Manny, “Maliit na nga ako, tapos tatahimik pa ako, e di lalong hindi ako mapapansin.”Even during family reunions, Manny was often the “life of the party”, cracking jokes and telling stories. He was a favorite apo and/or nephew because he really took the time na ‘makipaghuntahan’ with his grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Even when he fiercely engaged in many debates on political issues with his uncles and cousins, and even when he would be at odds with his family because of his activism, Manny – “Dikong Manny” to his younger siblings and cousins – gained the respect and love of his family because of his humility, sense of humor, kindness, and loving presence. 

Life as an activist in UP

Manny took up AB Political Science in UP Diliman as a pre-law course. Early in his college years, he joined organizations that veered toward social activism: SAPUL, LFS, EKIT. He often expressed his social activism through music. One of his much-loved compositions was the EKIT Fraternity song. For this, he was given a special recognition during EKIT’s 50th anniversary in September 2018. Below are the lyrics of the EKIT Frat Song:

Himig ng Kabataang Pilipino*
Musika at Titik ni Manny Tan (84-A Nagkakaisang Sigaw)

(* Opisyal na inilunsad noong Setyembre 1, 1986 sa ating tambayan sa UP Diliman sa pangalawang palapag ng Palma Hall pa noon)

Kapatirang Sigma Kappa Pi
Ang Ilaw ng ating buhay
Prinsipyo niyang tinataglay
Nagsisilbing ating gabay

Paggalang sa karapatan
Pagpapaunlad ng kalinangan
Pagpapalaya ng isipan
Sandigan ng Kapatiran

KORO
Katatagan sa pagkakaisa
At linyang pangmasa,
Ito ang ating sandata
Katatagan sa pagkakaisa
At linyang pangmasa
Sandata sa pakikibaka

Kapatirang Sigma Kappa Pi
Ang ilaw ng ating buhay
Prinsipyo niyang tinataglay
Nagsisilbing ating gabay

Kasama ng sambayanan
Itong ating Kapatiran
Sa pakikipaglaban
Para sa Kalayaan

 (Ulitin ang Koro)

… Ang ilaw at gabay ng ating buhay
Kapatirang Sigma Kappa Pi

Manny loved performing. He loved singing and acting He loved theater, and even joined the PETA-Metropolitan Teen Theater League (PETA-MTTL), where he became fondly known as “Eglong”, one of the much loved characters in one of the more popular PETA-MTTL’s plays  “Samperang Muta”. Unfortunately, he had to cut short his involvement with the theater due to his worsening asthma, which was exacerbated by late night rehearsals in the former open air theater of PETA in Rajah Sulayman in Intramuros, Manila.

The highlight of Manny’s student activism in UP was when he joined the SAMASA political party and got elected as one of the councilors of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) in 1983 to 1984 He served alongside Lean Alejandro who was then chair of the University Student Council.   These were the years when protest actions against tuition fee hikes and the Marcos dictatorship, were at its height. Manny was active in the parliament of the streets. 

Pambato si Manny sa mga kampanya, issue discussions at mga debate, ganun din sa mga gawaing pangkultural. Medyo nadelay nga sya sa paggraduate kasi madalas absent sa kanyang mga klase. Sa mga kwento ni Manny at ng mga kaibigan niya, kapag absent siya, tatlong bagay lang ang maaring dahilan: 

1) Nag R-T-R (room-to-room para maghikayat ng mga dadadalo sa rally/mob) 

2) Nasa lansangan siya, madalas bilang one-man MPT (mobile prop team), na kahit walang megaphone ay nangunguna sa mga ‘long-playing chants’ sa mga mob/rally sa loob ng UP o papuntang Mendiola,  o 

3)  Nasa ospital, naka-confine dahil sa matinding sumpong ng  hika. 

Sabi ni Mommy Finita, nakabuti din siguro na madalas siyang na-confine sa ospital.  At least hindi sya nahuli sa dami ng rally na pinupuntahan niya. Mabuti nalang din at marami sa mga naging Prof ni Manny ay mga aktibista din at naging considerate sa mga absences niya. Kaya noong 1986 ay nakagraduate na rin si Manny mula sa UP at natanggap ang kanyang AB Political Science degree.

Naging NARRA dormer si Manny at doon din niya naging kaibigan ang maraming iba pang aktibistang katulad niya. Dito siya natutong magtipid ng allowance, nagkakasya sa maraming kanin at libreng sabaw na binibigay ng mga kainan sa Area 2 para may pera pangbili ng yosi at pangtoma. 

Life after UP

After college, Manny went straight to law school at the Ateneo College of Law. There, he joined other activists in the Lakas Atenista, an organization of law students. This is where he met Edre Olalia, who became one of his closest friends and who would, many years later, invite him to join the NUPL. 

While taking up law, Manny worked with the Paralegal Training Services Center, an NGO that provided paralegal training to non-government organizations, mass organizations, and law students. When I was working with an NGO in Mindoro Occidental, we would often request Manny and  PTSC to conduct training on human rights, paralegal work, and others for farmers, women, and the staff of MIND, our NGO. At PTSC, he was part of a team that produced a manual on paralegal work specially written for NGOs, development organizations, and community/mass organizations. 

Even when he and other lawyer friends set up a private law firm, he would often handle legal cases ‘pro bono’, serving as legal counsel and providing free legal advice to mass organizations, development institutions, and NGOs; giving paralegal training and seminars on HR. Manny often provided legal assistance to urban poor communities, workers, and trade unions, public school teachers, and women’s organizations. Often, his fees would be rice, vegetables, and chicken from farmers, and fish and crabs from the fisherfolk organizations he served.  He was often tapped to be part of ‘quick reaction teams’ ( QRT)  during mobilizations,  for the union of SM workers and other unions on strike or holding picket protests. He was a legal counsel to Gabriela and Gabriela Youth, when activists were arrested or detained. 

When he joined the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) in 2004 as a government employee, Manny could no longer  handle private legal cases. Yet he continued to give free legal advice to NGOs and mass organizations. He served as the legal counsel of the Center for Women’s Resources and helped address the legal concerns of the Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC) where he was also a Board member. As a member of the NUPL-NCR, he was invited to be a resource person in NUPL seminars and to give talks to law students. He is fondly remembered for the last talk he gave to law student members of NUPL where he ended his presentation  ‘singing and rapping’. He wore a  large jersey T-shirt and baseball cap worn backwards para mukha siyang Michael V. He always made sure his performances had 100 percent audience impact whether it was in court or on stage; on the streets or in class; even when having fun during videoke nights with his family and friends. 

In PDIC, as head of the Investigation Department, he was driven by the desire to help the farmers, public school teachers, and OFWs get back their hard-earned money from rural banks that closed under dubious circumstances. He was known for being a hardworking, loving, and supportive boss and teammate. He would make sure he had supplies for merienda and snacks for his staff and would also often treat them to dinner especially when they had to render overtime work. He also used his love and skill for the performing arts to make staff development activities and seminars for PDIC staff more interesting. Whenever Atty. Manny Tan was the resource person for the PDIC staff development, laging ‘blockbuster’ and ‘SRO – standing room only’ ang seminar. 

Manny’s desire to serve was also expressed through his family’s involvement in the Family and Live Ministry of the Diocese of Novaliches. Through the FLM, we worked with the BECs in giving seminars on family, parenting, and other matters and in doing outreach programs for the urban poor communities of our parish.   

Manny as husband and father 

Tatay Manny was a very hands-on, loving, supportive father to our son Lego and daughter, Sinag. He was a stage father — always present in our children’s school activities, PTAs, family day, recitals, and gigs, among others. Lego’s classmates in Pisay loved doing group work at our home because of  Manny’s baked ziti, which tasted like Sbarro’s. Like his Tatay, Lego is an artist-activist  a singer, composer, and performer in many rallies and protest actions. Like most artists, they had their artistic differences, but Lego always proudly says that he got his gift as an artist and his sense of humor, from his Tatay. Siyempre idadagdag ni Manny that Lego got his  good looks from him too.

Tatay Manny liked having Sinag tagging along with him to work during the summer break, or  when it was ‘trick or treat’ time during Halloween. He made an effort to help Sinag with her  assignments and school projects, whether these were artworks or cooking lessons. He was always present in Sinag’s ballet and piano recitals. 

Manny was my best friend for 34 years; my adventure buddy, “partner in crime”, supportive and inspiring comrade, and loving husband for 26. Unlike him,I was not a student activist when I was studying in UP. But after college, I became active in the people’s movement, working with NGOs and organizations of farmers, workers, women. He supported my involvement, oftentimes serving as the legal counsel and  QRT of the organizations I worked with. He was a hit during family days of the CWR and CRC where he served as a Board Member, because he would put on magic shows for the children of CRC. He was my editor and staunchest critic of my talks/lectures. He would always say, “Masyado namang seryoso itong talk mo, ‘Nay. Paano kaya natin malalagyan ito ng joke/punchline?   

Manny was passionate in every aspect of his life — sa pag-ibig niya sa sambayanan, sa pag-ibig niya sa pamilya.  And he was a hopeful romantic. Sabi nya noon sa akin, habang buhay kitang liligawan. At hindi pala siya nambobola — lagi niya akong binibigyan ng bulaklak, galing man ito sa hardin ni Mommy Finita o isang elaborate bouquet. Lagi niya ako hinaharana with his original love songs, nationalist/progressive songs, even with his own version of ‘Bobo ng Diliman’ (to the tune of ‘Johnny be Good’, complete with choreography).

For our 25th wedding anniversary celebration in December 12, 2017, even in the midst of his battle with cancer, he serenaded me with a love song. It would be the last of the many love songs he composed for me. During his final lucid hours at the ER of NKTI, before his stroke rendered him paralyzed and unable to speak, his final words to me were the first poem he composed for me. 

Manny was a vibrant and loving presence, despite his struggle with his health. He was asthmatic most of his life. With the help of acupuncture and a healthier lifestyle he adapted later on,  we were able to manage his health concerns. But in August 2017, he was diagnosed as having Stage 4 lung cancer. Integrative medicine — chemotherapy, acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and a healthier diet — enabled Manny to spend quality time with his family even as he struggled with cancer for 15 months. During most of this time, he remained positive, still entertaining  with funny stories friends and family who would come to visit him. But in November 2018, he suffered a stroke. He passed away in December 23, 2018. He was only 54 years old. 

At the beginning of our relationship, when he was a student leader and I would worry about his health and safety, he would always remind  me “Abay”*, hindi hiwalay ang pag-ibig sa pakikibaka.” For the 34 years we were together, and even to this day, this line from Manny is what inspires our lives. Maraming Salamat Abay* Manny, ‘Kas’ Manny. 

* Abay is a term of endearment in Nueva Ecija which means ‘best friend’, kaakbay.