Early on in her life, she was already exposed to the struggle of her own community against encroachment by big companies. Having an activist father and growing up in a household that would often host meetings for community leaders, it was not an entirely new world for her. She witnessed how people suffered from human rights violations and harassment, as well as how countless individuals sought the help of her father.
By DAWN CECILIA PEÑA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Ana Mariz “Chai” Lemita-Evangelista was a champion of human rights. A staunch supporter of coastal protection in Batangas, an educator and community organizer in Cavite, she spent most of her time contributing to her advocacy.
It was not an instant choice.
Early on in her life, she was already exposed to the struggle of her own community against encroachment by big companies. Having an activist father and growing up in a household that would often host meetings for community leaders, it was not an entirely new world for her. She witnessed how people suffered from human rights violations and harassment, as well as how countless individuals sought the help of her father.
Seeing her father Armando “Ka Mandy” Lemita, who has been devoting his life to defending fisherfolk and farmers against state forces who insist in evicting them from their land and robbing them of their livelihood, gave Chai a sense of responsibility that she, too, must be a leader in time.
At first, she did not want it. She did not want to fill such big shoes, and eventually go through the hardships that she saw being an activist brought with it.
She dreamt of changing the situation by studying hard and landing a job that is lucrative enough to provide her and her family a stable life. For most of her childhood, this was what motivated her, until she went to college.
Chai departed Nasugbu and went to Cavite right after she graduated high school. She took a chance, hoping that she would make a name for herself – make her own history. She took Operational Management at Cavite State University (CvSU). Here, she became an iskolar ng bayan, a working student, a responsible adult. Here too, she found herself.
It was in 2012 when she started helping with Anakbayan-Cavite’s workshops and educational discussions. After a year, she was appointed as the provincial coordinator of Kabataan Partylist (KPL). It was during this time when she fully realized the value of the struggle and the importance of collective action.
Chai was an exceptional student leader. She was one of the members of CvSU’s Kilos Na!, and led the organization to take part in the 2013 Million People March against pork barrel to Luneta. She was also a founding member of Anakbayan-CvSU and KPL-CvSU.
Aside from her achievements within Cavite State University, Chai supported iskolars from other campuses as well. She assisted electoral campaigns for KAMAO-EARIST (Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology) in Cavite. Chai also pushed and promoted the campaigns of Rise for Education Alliance in the whole province and the Southern Tagalog region.
It is no doubt that Chai is well loved by her friends, fellow students, and the citizens of Cavite. She did not only exude kindness and gentleness, but she had a way of assuring people that everything had an answer and a solution. It was very clear that she cared for the people she worked with. And she showed it through her words, her actions – by making them understand that she would stand by them even if it meant standing against the state.
She graduated in 2014 feeling on top of the world, not because she was one step closer to escaping the life she left behind in Batangas, but because she finally understood her role as a daughter and a daughter of the nation.
On March 7, combined forces of the police and military raided Chai’s house. She and her husband were shot to death; their nine-year-old son witnessing the brutality from his hiding place.
While authorities claimed they recovered firearms and explosives, neighbors and colleagues of Chai insist it was impossible for the couple to have fought back.
No matter the narratives of those in power, Chai would remain an inspiration to the youth of Southern Tagalog.
