I met Romy at a church youth conference when I was 13. He was 15, and already president of the United Methodist Youth Fellowship in the Nueva Vizcaya-Quirino-Ifugao West District of Northern Luzon. That was the beginning of our journey in faith, friendship and love as we joined the Filipino people's struggle for democracy, justice and freedom. Romy would have turned 48 two days ago, but he was abducted by military plain-clothes-men on August 12, 1980. He was only 24; and it was barely four months after our wedding!
A close friend of Romy once called him “a young man in a hurry.” Indeed, he was.
As the first Executive Secretary of the National United Methodist Youth
Fellowship of the Philippines, his days were always overflowing with work-
endless meetings, workshops, study sessions, writing, cutting stencils,
proofreading, mimeographing (there were no computers then!), making phone calls,
preparing a speech, and scribbling a short daily note for me. His idea of a date
was proofreading stencils together, or compiling papers he mimeographed the
night before, or packing materials for mailing or delivery. His relaxation was
an occasional game of chess, or a stroll at Luneta as he rattled off
instructions for some tasks, or “thought aloud” about some new projects. He was
always working, cramming as if there was no tomorrow. Maybe he knew he did not
have long to live.
When I finished college and returned to Cagayan Valley, Romy left Manila and got
a job in the region. He joined the Commission on Audit and was the youngest
government auditor at the time. Soon he got a teaching job and started
organizing work among students and teachers. My father-in-law used to say, “I
don't want and I don't need a hero for a son. I want a son who will live long,
have a family, and serve his church and his country.” But we do need heroes,
especially at this point in our history.
We have gathered here today to honor our heroes and martyrs. The honor we give
Romy also belongs to all the brave young men and women of his (our) generation
who have given their lives in the struggle for truth, justice and freedom. We
remember their youthful idealism and commitment. We remember their courage in
the face of adversity, danger, and even death. But how shall we honor them? Let
us never forget what they stood for. Let us make sure the world will know their
heroic deeds and remember their martyrdom. More than these, let us honor our
martyrs and heroes today by dedicating our lives anew to the cause for which
they gave their lives. Let us be vigilant and work together in guarding our
freedom and in building a just and peaceful society, so that our children and
the children yet unborn will never again have to make the same sacrifice.
CITATION
For the youthful energy and vigor which he poured toward reorienting the United
Methodist Youth Fellowship to enlighten his fellow Protestant youth about the
roots of the oppressive conditions prevailing in the country in the mid-1970s;
For his committed leadership over other Protestant youth organizations such as
the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines and the Division of Youth and
Student Ministry of the National Council of Churches of the Philippines ,
organizations that would draw many more Protestants youth into helping support
the anti-dictatorship struggle in the country;
For being an inspiration to his students, colleagues, fellow church members, and
friends and family with his determined participation in the national protest
movement;
For inspiring his friends with his love for local culture and history, and love
for country and ordinary folk, imbuing this love with great passion and
self-deprecating humor;
For his courage in facing up threats against him and his family, not letting it
daunt him, and for risking his and his family's safety, his profession, and
eventually his very life, giving everything he had to give, in the struggle to
overthrow the dictatorship;
In testimony whereof, the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation hereby
recognizes ROMEO G. CRISMO as a martyr in the struggle against martial law and
hereby honors him by the inscription of his name on the Wall of Remembrance on
this 10th day of December 2003.
Bantayog ng Mga Bayani
