Words cannot express the sorrow, we in the jail ministry, feel for your sudden passing. You had been a tireless, fearless, loving advocate for the poor and the powerless. With your passing, you left a void in leadership and wisdom hopefully some of us could fill someday.
People like us know you as Sister Kulit. I still remember the person who branded you that name. It was my kaselda, Tisoy, who, annoyed by your persistent directive that inmates attend church service, where you wake and force them up from their slumber. He called you "Kulit" and it stuck like a sticky glue. That was in 1995, you were new in the Jail Ministry then. I was then also a newly committed inmate. And for seven years that I was resident of the Quezon City Jail, you were the most consistent, perennial, mabaha-bumagyo, jail volunteer. You challenged the mayores of the inmates when they engaged their members in violence, you endlessly followed up with the office of the city mayor for the construction of a new city jail, which after 30 years, it is finally built, you brought and inspired thousands of volunteers and supporters. You brought teachers who could teach in the literacy program, organized retreats for jail employees and judges, organized medical missions, brought food and medicines, and different kinds of palakad. You made sure that inmates like me are put to good use. You made me your assistant in the Values Orientation Seminar. You forced me to become an inmate-teacher. You told me that there must be a reason why God put me in jail, egging me to reflect on the verse: "To whom God had given much, much is expected." You are called Sister Kulit for you are pesky in showing love. Initially, inmates and jail employees were annoyed. But by your 30 years of consistent loving service, "Kulit" had become a word of endearment. Many of the former snatchers, drug users and other type of offenders, who owe you their transformation, will lovingly call you Sister Kulit. We will always remember you Sister K. We will continue to fight for your vision of a better correctional and judicial system in our country. We will be as tireless and as passionate as you are. Kukulitin namin ang mga wardens, PAOs, judges at sino pa man. Salamat Sister K.
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