Rest Now, Ka Bise

Rodolfo “Ka Bise” Acebes, the paraplegic author and local historian is now gone. He, to me, as far as writing local history is concerned, is a role model. His foosteps must be followed, so to speak.

I had a last chat with Ka Bise last May 2016 asking me to help him spread the news about the launching of his last book, “Mindoro: The Stepping Stone”. The milestone started when Ka Bise received a letter from Lucky Guillermo, top honcho of Spyron AV Manila, a national creative production company that has close partnership with (Douglas) MacArthur Memorial, one of the auspices of City of Norfolk, VA’s Department of Cultural Facilities, Arts and Entertainment. Guillermo’s letter contains this remarkable opening message: “Your book is definitely a good material in history. From a perspective, students and followers of World War II will have a fresh treat from your book.”  Acebes already published over half a dozen works to his credit and in the Introduction of “Stories of 100 Families”, he wrote, “People must remember the past. People should know that stories of the past, once impressed upon their memories, are indestructible.” These are the words, from the man who just left us, summing up his sterling achievements as a devotee of history that many of the influential residents failed to notice. Perhaps for one reason or another.

Ka Bise writes from his bed after that fatal accident in 1988 which paralyzed half of his body. In an interview for the Inquirer in 2008, Ka Bisi recalled, “After the accident, I went back to reading and writing to keep my sanity. I worked on a borrowed manual typewriter placed on top of three pillows on my right side.” He made more than two dozen of letters to the editors of various broadsheets and magazines. Maybe, just maybe, if he did not went through this trial, his writing potential would forever be imprisoned by his erstwhile happy-go-lucky attitude. He was with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) when the misfortune happened. Many lives were touched by the man as a writer, activist, paralegal and journo.  

As I have written in my tribute to him on his 61^st birthday, Acebes’ reminded me of another great intellectual named Marcel Proust of France. Proust was asthmatic and dying and could write well only when bedridden. Ka Bise was my Bureau Chief at Mindoro Guardian in the late 90s and I still remember him lying in a lay half-suffocating in a room hazy with inhalation and his bedclothes serving as his desk. In our intimate moment way back then, he encouraged me to write a book.

Blaise Paschal and Lucretius too were at their best in writing their respective masterpieces and not eaten up by their severe illness, solitude and destitution. Such situation did not hinder these great men of science and prose to concentrate. They have special gifts that are easier to cherish than to describe. And we thank them all for their contributions to the world despite of their previous conditions when they are still alive. They are in no way forgotten.

And that includes Ka Bise…

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(Photo : Kenneth D. Pangilinan)