In Memory of Merle

One day 30 years ago, I walked into a dingy office in Manila and met someone who was to become a dedicated companion in mission and who helped change the history of the Philippines. Her name is Merle Ramirez-Hermoso: a woman of extraordinary faith, courage and determination who fulfilled a challenging and difficult mission for Jesus Christ.

Great events begin in small ways. I met Merle when I went to the office in 1973 as I was planning to set up a recovery centre for the young people of Olongapo City, exploited by drug dealers, sex tourists and pedophiles.

I wanted social workers of strong faith for this challenging mission, which I knew would be dangerous and difficult. There were few such people of courage available during martial law when the military ruled the land with a cruel heart and jackboot tyranny. Merle was the first to say “yes”.

As a college graduate with a business degree, she was an unlikely candidate for a tough mission, but I saw her courage as a sign from God.

AN EVIL TRADE
Olongapo City is a three-hour drive northwest of Manila, situated on the shores of Subic Bay and the home of the huge naval base for the U.S. Seventh Fleet until 1992. Brothel operations and pimps groveled at its gates, offering women and children, drugs and drink to the thousands of U.S. sailors, Marines and airmen. They came for rest and recreation after their stints in the Vietnam War.

The sex trade was a shameful and evil business. Thousands of Filipinas were enslaved, the HIV-AIDS virus was rampant, unrestricted abortions caused untold deaths and suffering, and drug abuse and broken homes plagued those unable to escape the clutches of the local mafia.

Corrupt government officials made it all possible by issuing permits and licenses – for fees and other benefits and kickbacks. The police turned a blind eye and protected the brothels and pimps, and jailed the children when they ran away from their abusers.

Something had to be done. No one dared to speak out and take action to stop this evil perpetuated by dictator Ferdinand Marcos and his cronies. But Merle did, for she understood her mission was to bring God’s kingdom of justice and love to the poorest of the poor – even if it meant defying authorities who allowed evil to proliferate.

Merle was a bright and hardworking college graduate who could have found a well-played job in the business world of Manila. Instead she chose the difficult mission of helping the most-exploited and vulnerable in society without expectation of any great material reward.

Alex Hermoso, a college graduate with a sociology degree, soon joined us. A few years later, Alex and Merle married.

TEACHING SKILLS AND HOPE
Our mission team first sought to help people from the ages of 17 to 23 get off the streets and out of prison. In addition, we helped them escape the sinister death squads that shot and tortured young people in Olongapo throughout the 1980s. these children and young adults were neither pushers nor rebels, just jobless young people confused and alienated by a society of vice and violence.

As part of her mission, Merle set up a “fair trade” skilled training program for these young people through our organization called the People’s Recovery, Empowerment and Development Assistance (PREDA) Foundation, Inc.

PREDA, which was founded by Alex, Merle and I, seeks to establish programmes that help exploited women and children in the Philippines. Young people in the programme produce wicker furniture at our centre as they recover through therapy and affirmation. Many who went through the programme are now successful business people and professionals.

In 1982, we exposed the syndicate that sold children to sex perverts, pedophiles at the naval base to sex tourists that flocked to Manila. The local officials were angry with us, and they frightened off those who wished to buy from Merle’s self –help project. We could not support ourselves and were forced to consider ending the program.

Undaunted, Merle retrained the young people to make new products and found new buyers in Europe. The project was a great success. Her pioneering efforts paid off, and today the PREDA Fair Trade projects have spread to villages throughout the Philippines, alleviating poverty and keeping families together.

Earnings from sales were returned to those who made the furniture as development aid, and they thrived and prospered. This success also brought more income to the PREDA social services programmes responsible for rescuing the children and youth.

We then were able to help many more victims of sexual abuse and provide them with protection, therapy and education. Merle was by now PREDA’a senior administrator and general manager.

THE BASES CLOSE
Merle’s determination and courage top never give up in the face of threats and harassment inspired us to start a PREDA campaign against the sex industry and the continued operation of the U.S. military bases. We trusted in the power of God to protect and help us.

When we faltered, Merle’s faith carried us through difficult times. We worked out a plan to convert the military base in to economic estates. Thousands of Filipinas would need dignified work if we succeeded in closing the bases.

Merle kept us campaigning, and gave us advice and encouragement. In 1986, a coalition opposed to the U.S. military bases came together in a common cause and finally persuaded the Philippine Senate to vote against retaining the bases. It was an historical victory: nearly 100 years after the first bases opened, they were finally closed on November 22, 1992.

The Propsed industrial parks soon followed. Today, there are more than 50,000 Filipinas working at Subic and a number at Clark, the former U.S. airbase in Angeles City.

Merle played a significant supporting role in bringing about these successes. She passed on to her reward, January 27, 2002, but her contributions to Filipina society and history will never be forgotten.

Columban Fr Shay Cullen has worked on mission in Philippines since 1969. the PREDA Foundation (www.preda.org) was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 and 2003. (Far East, May/June 2006)