Ramon “Mon” Duran

June 18, 1962 – September 3, 2019

Mon was an only child. His parents loved him and supported all his endeavors. Mon was a precocious host of the TV show “From the Mouth of Babes” which lasted for two years. His co-host remembers their weekly trips to the ABS-CBN studio and the many hours that she spent with him during and in-between tapings as memorable experiences. Mon and his mother drove a Volkswagen Beetle to pick her up every weekend. On their way to the studio, she and Mon would talk about their guests who are dignitaries, public officials, and entertainment greats! 

Mon was the class valedictorian and president of their high school batch. Skipping Grade 7 and first year high school, he was accelerated to second year. Devouring book afer book, it was on that year that he finished Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. He became the Editor-in-Chief of the school’s official newsletter and their yearbook. 

At that time, when the National Capital Region was still part of the province of Rizal, Mon competed in and won many contests — from spelling and declamation to essay writing at the provincial level. He also loved to memorize and recite long poems. No wonder he received the most number of awards and medals when he graduated. All these, along with his penchant for wearing the fanciest outfits and highest shoe heels, are warmly remembered in his high school scrapbook’s Superlatives page.

Despite his many achievements, Mon remained humble and friendly. Fondly called Mr. Genius, classmates remember him the most for his patience, eagerness to help others, and his faith in others’ abilities. During exams, when classmates would ask endless questions of “Ano ang sagot?”, he did not directly give the answer but will show them how to solve the question. Though one complained it was hard to copy from Mon during tests because of his “lightning-like” handwriting, several seatmates said it was Mon who helped them pass exams.

Many of them shared fun activities with Mon, including Friday or Saturday drinking sessions while reviewing tests or quiz papers that were already checked by their teachers. He also loved to play volleyball (although his playmates all agree “volleyball does not like him”), “non-stop from first year to fourth year.” Seeing him having fun, according to them, is a “priceless” memory that made playing the sport a lot more enjoyable.

One of his high school seatmates recalled that he was never reprimanded for being talkative in class, something she attributed to his quiet and behaved demeanor. In the same way, though he had his share of mischief in the library, the librarian only always called out Mon’s friends, never him.

He loved to walk on his way home while savoring chocolate sundaes and talking with his classmates about aspirations. He is a witness to how Mon metamorphosed from a kid with bright ideas and dreams to someone who was radicalized in his college years.

Upon entering UP in 1978, he was accepted into a 5-year program of BS-MS Statistics. He passed 21 college units of Advanced Placement Exam (APE), a system that allowed him to skip introductory college courses such as Algebra (one of his favorite subjects), Chemistry, Spanish, and English and move to upper-level courses essential for college work. This meant he could finish his course in three years.

In response to the call of the times, Mon became incredibly active in campus and national politics. When SAMASA was formally launched in 1981, he was chosen to chair the Propaganda and Education Committee where he contributed his skills in writing and public speaking. He was part of a committee that drafted the first General Program of Action of SAMASA (GPOA).

He was a fine example of an activist who can ace his academics despite his busy schedule. In on instance, he lost all his notes in a rally where violent dispersal by state forces occurred. Despite this, he got perfect scores in his exam the following day.

In 1981, he was arrested in a Lighting Barricade in Espana along with 18 other UP activists. At the time of his arrest, he was about to graduate as Summa Cum Laude, with only 21 academic units left to complete. Jailed for several months at Camp Bagong Diwa, he lost his scholarship and his monthly stipend.

Soon, financial problems forced Mon to stop schooling and look for work. He taught Mathematics from 1983 to 1986 in another school and there, his leadership was once again recognized by his fellow teachers. He was elected president of the faculty union. However, the school administration, bent on union-busting, fired Mon.

Mon found another channel to serve the people during the time of nation-building after the EDSA Revolution. In 1987, he worked as a Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Specialist at the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement. There, he played a key role in refining a system and scorecard for evaluating the level of empowerment of partner people’s organizations. His fellow NGO workers attest to his brilliant mind as he pursued a major role in preparing project proposals for most of PRRM’s rural and pro-poor development programs.

Mon suffered a stroke and his medical condition led to his retirement from PRRM in 2015. When his mother died, his health deteriorated, leading to a fatal stroke a few months later.